Hot air balloons have always been used for commercial purposes right from the time that they first took to the sky. Hot air balloons are used for a variety of different reasons, including pleasure rides, business advertisements, sports and some people even choose to get married on hot air balloon flights that have been arranged for them! It is true to say though, that the main use that hot air balloons are used for, is commercial flights where the public can book a balloon flight from an area which is local and close to them.

Companies are increasingly using hot air balloons to give incentive to their employees; others use balloons as corporate advertising mediums for their products or company. Many companies buy balloons of special shape which can be very eye catching and Balloons over Britain are able to assist companies in this important part of the hot air ballooning UK scene.

Companies spend hundreds of thousands of pounds advertising in an effort to increase sales of their products or services. Traditional outlets are well known, but increasingly advertising campaigners are turning toward Hot Air Balloons to draw attention to their clients.

If you have seen the launch or landing of a Hot Air Balloon, you will have been amongst the crowd of onlookers which can be around 6000 or so at a fete, or up to 60,000 at major agricultural shows, which if featured on television could be millions.

Balloons over Britain have provided facilities for companies to advertise on balloons, even helped them to but their own Hot Air Balloon in a distinctive shape or logo. Owning your own Hot Air Balloon gives you the tool to provide entertainment packages for clients, journalists and as staff incentives. The Hot Air Balloon is now regarded as the most powerful incentive tool in Aviation History.

There are many places where it is possible to get married, the traditional church ceremony, the registry office, or even Gretna Green are now not the only places to tie the knot! A romantic wedding is the wish of most brides and many use the facilities of one of the 70 local operators of Balloons over Britain and whilst the actual ceremony cannot take place in the Hot Air Balloon itself, after the marriage ceremony takes place on the ground, the couple will go up in the balloon afterwards, celebrating their marriage whilst flying in the air.

However there is another way if it is your dream to be married in a balloon, it can be part of an all encompassing holiday package for the couple and their friends, a trip to Florida! Balloons over Britain will organise the whole event which includes; transportation from your local hotel to the launch site, notary and wedding ceremony which takes place on the ground, champagne toast on landing followed by a full buffet breakfast including cake, and to complete the deal your flight certificate and photograph.

The winter is nearly behind us despite the onset of snow for many during this year’s early Easter and in spring a young man’s fancy turns to “what can he get his loved one in the summer months?” Think no further a wonderful champagne balloon flight for two!

There are many options from which you can choose, an exclusive flight for the two of you is the most romantic, but also the most expensive, the choice is yours. Firstly choose your preferred location from the UK wide operators at the Balloons over Britain site and if you have chosen a mid week early morning flight, you can watch the rest of the world waking up and commuting to work, alternatively you can always choose a weekend option. Your itinerary starts just after dawn at which time you will be invited to help prepare the balloon for flight, which will last about an hour, the whole experience lasts around three and a half hours and is one you and your partner will remember for years to come.

We see them floating in the air and painting pictures with their differing shapes and vibrant colours, hot air balloons have a magical attraction to all who see them, but even more so for those of us who have made that hot air balloon ride for the first, or in the experience of Balloons over Britain, many repeat flights through their 70 local operators.

When they are not carrying fare paying passengers, what are hot air balloons used for? Apart from pleasure rides balloons are used for a number of different reasons, business advertisements, sports and some people even choose to get married on board them! You can choose this unusual but romantic way to get married. Companies use them as a means of rewarding their employees or as an incentive to increase sales or production. A major use now has to be as a means of advertising their products, so may decide to have a special shaped balloon envelope made for them, or they can just simply advertise on the side of a typical hot air balloon envelope. You never know, when you book your flight you could be flying in one of these hot air balloons shaped like a bottle!

Flight has held a fascination for man since time immemorial and the history of flight is well documented. Aircraft museums are to be found all over Britain, mainly at disused R.A.F airfields where the facilities of hangers and buildings have been retained and preserved.

Hot air balloon museums are less prevalent but none the less do exist, foremost is perhaps the British Balloon Museum and Library who hold special events, and regularly attend balloon meets. One such meet is the inflation day, to be held at the Kirby Lonsdale Rugby Union Football Club on the 10^th of May 2008, and is expected to be well attended. Operators within the Balloons over Britain umbrella will be amongst the many attending and special events are to held and if this meeting follows the pattern of other Hot Air Balloon events, will be a massive attraction for all the family.

When you book your hot air balloon UK flight you will not be crossing the Atlantic, you will be floating over the beautiful countryside of Britain, seeing the patchwork of fields below, the silence broken only by the sound of the hot air burner keeping you in the air.

However, crossing the Atlantic was always a great challenge for the aspiring hot air balloonist. For many years hot air balloonist’s attempted the challenge but it was not until 1978 that the crossing of “the pond” was achieved. Three pilots Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman flying in their hot air balloon “Double Eagle II” covered the 3120 mile crossing in an impressive time of 137 hours, a fantastic achievement. Just like you when you make your balloon ride, meticulous preparation before the flight will have taken place, although in your case a “chase crew” will be following, a bit more difficult over the Atlantic.

Take time today and book your summer trip of a lifetime through the pages of Balloons over Britain, operating from a launch site near you.

The pre-flight setting up of the balloon is a spectacular a show for the passengers as they witness the spectacular sight of the mighty hot air balloon being inflated.

Firstly the huge envelope is laid out flat and initially a large fan is put into the neck of the balloon’s envelope which begins to fill. The basket is attached and securely fixed to the ground and the burner is fixed in place. The balloon, already half filled with air from the fan is soon filled by the hot air burner and the passengers can get into the basket ready for an experience that will be remembered for years to come.

Hot air balloon rides UK wide can be undertaken through Balloons over Britain, where you can either buy a gift voucher, or arrange a flight with one of the country wide operators that we are associated with.

There is one thing that you can be sure of and that is that you will not have seen any hot air balloons flying around the skies of the Britain during the spell of gale force winds that have hit most of the UK over the past few days.

If you have booked a flight through one of the Balloons over Britain hot air balloon rides UK operators, and your flight was scheduled to take place when the wind exceeds that which the hot air balloon can be safely launched, as well as flown, you will be offered alternative dates which suit both you and your party, your hot air balloon experience will not have been lost. Hot air balloon vouchers issued by Balloons over Britain and their associated operators are a sure way to avoid disappointment when you decide that the time is right for you to experience the thrill of a lifetime and take part in a hot air balloon adventure. Various voucher options are available and booking online could not be simpler.

You have bought a voucher for a hot air balloon flight and you may be wondering just what you might have let your self in for. Firstly we can say that this is an experience that you will never forget and we are sure that you will want to book another ride with a balloon flight UK company.

It’s hard to describe the feeling of flying in the balloon, it’s almost like a feeling of weightlessness, as if you are drifting along, floating on air. The weather of course will play a part in your experience and we all hope that this will take place on a nice sunny day. If this is the case you will certainly be able to see for miles. Normally the actual hot air balloon ride will take round about one hour before the pilot will start looking for a safe place to bring the balloon in to land.

After your safe, although a slightly bumpy landing, you will be transported back to the launch site and you can then tell your friends all about your wonderful experience.