The short answer to that is an emphatic yes, although it is true to say that temperature does play a role in the ability for a balloon to fly. During the summer the higher temperatures greatly reduce the amount of weight a balloon can lift. However, during the winter it is exactly the opposite, in fact the colder the better!

Buying a Hot Air Balloon ride in the winter months can be a lovely time to fly with the landscape taking on a whole new mantle. However you have to consider your comfort, your fully qualified pilot with be dressed accordingly and you should be dressed appropriately since you will be spending several hours outdoors. There are some great offers available for flying in a balloon in the next few months and all of these are from launch sites close to you.

Naturally the fully qualified pilot of the hot air balloon taking you on your magical balloon flight is absolutely essential to make your flight enjoyable and possible. But there is also a group of unsung heroes who don’t often get a mention, the balloon crew or chase crew.

These are the guys that get the balloon ready to get into the air in the first place including setting up the balloon, checking that the basket has all the essential the pilot needs, then arranging to get the canopy in place, inflating this with air so the pilot can direct the burner to fill this with hot air to enable you to float away. After all that is done and you are on your way, we “chase” the balloon so that we can help dismantle this after you have safely landed and take you back to meet your friends at the launch site.

Mankind has always been fascinated by flight and in the early days numerous attempts were made to emulate the birds without success. Eventually man took to the air, but this was in a hot air balloon and the first successful attempt was back in the 1700’s. Ask anyone who has taken a hot air balloon flight and they will tell you that the experience in a balloon of being carried away in the wind offer passengers the unique bird’s eye perspective of the Earth, as well as nearly silent travel and still air, thanks to the balloon’s flight assimilation with wind gusts.

The modern hot air balloon is a far cry from the early ones and today buying a hot air balloon flight from a location close to you is simple. You will meet at the balloon launch site, help with the inflation of the balloon if you wish, then be carried away to the landing area, met by the chase crew and safely transported back to the meeting area for a well earned glass of champagne! Check out your balloon flight now.

Most of us will have flown in an aeroplane at some time or another and many might ask, what is so special about a hot air balloon ride, I have flown in an aeroplane dozens of times? Well it really is different and it is an experience that once tried, few will forget.  Unlike an aeroplane, a hot air balloon has limited controllability, it can be moved up and down, but it is the wind that takes you on your magical journey.

Before the balloon is launched, the pilot knows which way the wind is blowing so he knows which way the balloon will go. The air is in layers, and the different layers may be moving in different directions. So even though the pilot can’t steer the balloon, he can move up and down to find a layer of air that will allow the balloon to change direction. Book your magical hot air balloon journey form you local launch site by calling 0845 071 6388.

A champagne hot air balloon flight makes the perfect gift for any special occasion. Always a happy place the basket of the hot air balloon takes on a party atmosphere whilst it drifts slowly across the landscape as you look down on the country from an entirely different aspect.

When you land the champagne bottle is cracked open and you and your guests or fellow passengers can revel in a great experience. Buying a gift voucher is a great way to give a gift to a loved one and at Balloons over Britain we can personalise the gift voucher to a number of designs making this a great memento of the hot air balloon flight.  Flights are taken from a launch site that will be close to you and at a time that is suitable for you or your guests.

The autumn is a good time to choose for your hot air balloon ride for a number of reasons not least amongst these is that here are some tasty discounts available when you buy a hot air balloon voucher.

On certain vouchers that are on offer from Balloons over Britain, emerald, topaz and ruby as examples there is a £20 per person discount. Choosing an autumn flight can be a wonderful time of year to fly, there is the wonderful cloak of colours of the leaves on the trees which are turning from their summer green, and seeing them from above is one that you will never forget. The conditions for flying can also great with cooler mornings making that early flight easier and is a wonderful experience. Check out the prices for your online balloon voucher today.

Half of America was watching what they thought was a little boy trapped in a helium balloon, without the benefit of a qualified pilot, followed on the television and a group of helicopters, but it turns out that the whole thing could be a hoax!

One thing is for sure and that is when you buy a hot air balloon trip with Balloons over Britain, you will be accompanied by a highly qualified pilot with hundreds of hours of experience. You may be followed by lots of people longing to be up there with you, as well as your chase crew, they will help you dismantle the balloon after you safely land and then take you back to your waiting friends at the launch site. Contact Balloons over Britain online or at 0845 071 6388 and make your dream come true.

A warm welcome awaits you when you take your first hot air balloon flight from the moment when you arrive at the launch site which will be local to you, or near where you are staying if you are on holiday, from all members of the crew. On a standard flight you will be joining a group of other people. The balloon baskets are divided into compartments for your safety, and there will not be more than six passengers in any one compartment. You may book just one person, or as many as you wish, depending on availability of passenger space.

Soon you will be up and away and looking down on the patchwork of fields, houses churches etc all form a n entirely different aspect. The actual time in the air is approx. one hour. Passengers and spectators are invited to participate in the pre and post flight preparation and dismantling of the balloon and this is all part of the experience. Book your balloon flight online now.

The hot air balloon festival is over for this year but now is the time to start planning for the full calendar of events that are due next year, this is the best place to watch balloon fly. With most of these balloon festivals occurring in the summer, a weekend with the family or as part of a holiday break makes a visit to one a great event.

Most festivals in the UK allow spectators to walk amongst the balloons, this is great don’t be shy hot air balloonist are really friendly people they are happy to answer your questions, and it’s possible you’ll find a balloonist that lives near you. For a chance to fly in a hot air balloon at a festival contact Balloons over Britain on 0845 071 6388 who will be happy to discuss all the options with you.

Unlike the first hot air balloon flights, today’s modern hot air balloons are an entirely different airship, the way that the air is heated, now by gas and not an open fire! The basket which is called a gondola carries the passengers, the number depending on the size of the basket. The lift of the balloon is controlled by adjusting the burning rate of the gas. A valve at the top of the balloon has a rope attached so that fully qualified pilot can control the descent. A rip cord and rip panel allow the rapid release of gas on landing to prevent the balloon being dragged along the ground on landing.

Although hot air balloons can normally fly to a height limit of 34 miles, when you choose a hot air balloon ride with Balloons over Britain you will not be flying that high, but you will see the countryside from an entirely different aspect, an experience you will not forget.