At Alba Balloons, one of the most common questions asked by customers is “can I fly?” Many of our first time flyers are cautious, medically, about whether or not it is advisable for them to take their dream hot air balloon flight. Firstly we’d like to advise that if you have any doubts, or concerns about flying, you consult your doctor.

We wouldn’t say that ballooning is particularly physically demanding or requiring of high fitness, however, you will need to be able to climb into the basket (which does have foot holes), this is about 110cms (or 44”) tall. Bear in mind also, that you should be flexible enough to crouch when landing as this enables the balloon to land faster and to safely absorb the bump of a landing which can on occasions be a little hefty.

If you are pregnant, or if you have any significant ankle, knee, hip, back or bone weaknesses, we will be unable to fly you. This is because the impact of a heavier landing equates to standing on a dining chair and jumping off, the equivalent to a 50 cm (19 inches) drop or so. We would also recommend that anyone who has a heart, nervous or mental condition should not fly as should the need arise, it is not always possible to land the balloon at short notice should anything untoward happen whilst in the air.

We do however reserve the right to insist that a passenger with a medical or physical condition be accompanied by a suitable able bodied person at their own cost in certain circumstances.

We are unable to fly any child under the age of 8; as to be fair to them, they wouldn’t be able to see over the side! Children under the age of 16 will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Due to the nature of ballooning, we are unable to fly a person whose weight exceeds 18 Stone (115 kg) or a couple whose combined weight exceeds 30 Stone (190 kg).

For your reassurance, a balloon flight has been shown to be the safest way of taking to the skies. It’s utter simplicity and slowness provides flyers with protection against the unlikelihood of any failure or accident. All balloons are inspected at least every year as are our pilots who will possess a British Commercial Balloon Pilot’s license. Of course the safety of a flight is dependent upon whether, which is why your pilot will use their extensive experience to only take to the air if they are certain that a safe flight can be conducted. We pride ourselves on maintaining a 100% passenger safety record.

For more information and/or bookings, visit us online at www.albaballooning.co.uk or call us on 01875 830709.

At Balloons Over Britain booking your long dreamed of balloon flight couldn’t be easier, in fact not only have we made it easy, but we’ve also made every effort to give you all the tools you need to find out everything you need to know about us, our member flights companies and ballooning itself! You will find a great About Us section which presents you with our personal information from our history, our years of experience, our unrivalled safety record to the certificates and awards we have been issued. There you can also find our full list of member companies so that you can see which company will fly you depending on the location you choose. Each company has its own website where you can find out all about them, their own experience, records and certification, along with their list of launch sites and available dates. You will also have the facility to book online on each of their websites should you choose, alternatively they all have clearly displayed telephone numbers for your reference.

At Balloons Over Britain you will be able to update yourself on our most recent news, facts and figures and even buy national or local vouchers which enable you to select your destination at a later date. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3; buy your voucher, choose your location, then simply enjoy the view!

With a fleet of over 40 balloons throughout our member companies, you will find that we have daily scheduled dawn and dusk flights seven days a week! Our main flying season is between March and October, however some of our member companies will even fly later into the year! We recommend you call for further information. Did you know that Balloons Over Britain fly over one-third of all balloon ride passengers in the UK‼

With more than 70 launch sites across the UK, the chances are you’ll find we fly from the spot you desire! We have been established since 1991 and are now the UK’s largest and longest established balloon flight operator providing nationwide flights – our network of companies is appropriately known as Balloons Over Britain. So whether you’re after a flight from Scotland or even a tour around the South West and Wales, you can choose to book direct with a local operator or enjoy the added flexibility of a Balloons Over Britain Nationwide voucher.

For more information visit us at www.balloonsoverbritain.co.uk or call us on 0845 071 6388.

Have you ever wondered how the hot air balloon works? Many of our customers obviously want to understand the principles behind its ‘mechanics’ in order to feel safe, prior to their booking a flight, perfectly understandable. So today’s featured blog will be all about what makes up a hot air balloon and what role each part plays. We will explain how the balloon works, including what makes it rise and fall and how the pilot manoeuvre’s the balloon in flight.

If we were to start with the real basics we’d explain how hot air rises and cool air descends, however, this is something we’re each taught as kids, so we won’t go into detail. However based on the knowledge you can understand that, that principle means that hot air entering the balloon itself will enable it to rise and therefore, without cool air the balloon is sure to descend. The balloon (called an envelope) has to be the large size that it is, as it takes this large a volume of heated air to lift it off the ground. To put this into perspective, a great example would be to consider that it would take 65,000 cubic feet of heated air to lift 1000 pounds worth of weight! In order to keep the balloon in the air and rising, hot air needs to be propelled upwards into the envelope using the burner.

A hot air balloon is made up of 3 main parts including:

The Envelope
The actual fabric balloon which holds the air

The Burner
The unit which propels the heat up inside the envelope

The Basket
Where the passengers and pilot stand

A hot air balloon burner uses propane gas in order to heat up the air in the envelope. It is the pilots job to keep firing the burner at regular intervals throughout the flight so that the balloon continues at a stable height. As hot air rises, very little hot air escapes from the hole at the very bottom of the envelope. So to move the balloon upwards the pilot opens up the propane valve which lets the propane flow to the burner which in turn fires the flame up into the envelope.

In order to move the balloon down again, the ‘Parachute Valve’ at the very top of the balloon is used. This valve is simply a circle of fabric cut out of the top of the envelope which is controlled by a long chord that runs down through the middle of the envelope and into the basket. So when the pilot wants to lower the balloon he simply pulls on the chord opening the valve, which then releases hot air, decreasing the inner air temperature. This cooling of cause, allows the balloon to descend. In order to allow the balloon to lower gracefully, the pilot will use the burner less frequently.

The pilot is able manoeuvre the balloon horizontally by changing the vertical position of the balloon! As strange as this sounds, this is due to wind direction at different altitudes. So if the pilot wants to move in a particular direction they simply ascend or descend to the appropriate level and ride with the wind. But of course this is Britain and our weather does as it please, so we are limited to the variation in wind direction on the day which could only be 10 degrees and may not be consistent at all.

If you’d like to speak to a member of our team about your flight, or would like to know more about Balloons Over Britain before booking, please feel free to call us, we’re always happy to answers any questions you may have – 0845 071 6388.

Ballooning first timer? Most of our customers are, so we thought to save you the suspense and answer all those questions on your mind, we’d tell you a little more about what to expect. Many of our customers are ordering balloon flights for Christmas presents at the moment and there are also a great deal thinking ahead and organising their Valentines surprise with plenty of notice to make it perfect; ballooning is known as the most romantic way to fly, after all. So what questions are we being overwhelmed with at the moment.

Firstly, most enquires are with regards to what to expect from their flight. Many are fearful of the takeoff and other of the landing, however there is no need for concern.

When you take off you will notice the ground dropping away, however you will not really notice a sensation of movement or rising. Many have described a feeling of peace and tranquillity once up in the air; this is heightened by the apparent lack of wind.  The balloon moves with the wind and so you will not experience windiness at all when you’re up! You can expect to climb to heights of approximately 3’000 foot; let your mind imagine what the world would look like from heights such as that, and nothing to obstruct your view!

Flights last for about an hour, and yes, you will enjoy a champagne toast, along with a certificate to commemorate your day! What’s more we encourage all of our passengers to help set up the balloon and dismantle it afterwards so that they can get a real feel for ballooning and enjoy a day of it, rather than just the flight.

You can expect your flight to take place either at sunset or sunrise as this is when the weather is at its calmest. Typically flights run from March to October, however some Balloons Over Britain operators will run flights outside of the typical ballooning season. Bear in mind, if the weather is not suitable for flying, then your flight will be cancelled. Simply phone to re-schedule in this case where we will make every possible step to ensure you fly at a date that is convenient for you.

Remember to wear clothing which is appropriate for country walks and the time of year, ideal clothes made of natural fibres. Another advisable item would be a hat or cap to protect your head from the heat of the burners. And please, ladies, you will be clambering through fields and over the balloon basket, so do wear trousers. We recommended sensible walking shoes or boots, preferably ones that are waterproof, as most flights take off from, and land in, a field. Finally bear in mind the limited space in the basket, so try to avoid bringing large rucksacks or bags.

The most common type of query we have is with regards to the safety of hot our ballooning. What we advise is that ballooning activities intrinsically involve the possibility of physical risks greater than those encountered in daily life, even though they are conducted under the supervision of commercial pilots who exercise all due precautions to ensure safety. By taking part in such ballooning activities passengers are understood to be fully aware of these risks. All Balloons Over Britain Operators are certified and regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority and all the pilots hold full Commercial Pilot Licences. All operators carry combined single limit insurance to current European standards.

For more details, call us on 0845 071 6388.

Balloon Rides Ltd are a Balloons Over Britain members company who offer passenger balloon rides in locations around Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. To be specific, in Yorkshire we fly from York Racecourse or from the banks of the River Ouse at Naburn Lock and in Lincolnshire we have sites near Grantham, Rutland Water and Stamford, however the site we fly from on the day depends entirely on wind direction.

Wind direction isn’t the only factor which must be taken into consideration on the day; for a successful flight not only must the winds be light, but the forecast should be clear of rain and the visibility good. For this reason we recommend that passengers call us at the time specified in your map pack to confirm if the weather permits us to fly. If the weather is bad, don’t panic; simply call to reschedule your flight as soon as possible at a time that suits you.

Depending on the flying conditions, we fly early morning and early evening when the wind is generally calmer and our flying season is from April to October. The time of your flight will depend on the time of year as it will always be in accordance with sunrise and sunset. Typically in May we meet you at 6am for morning flights and 6pm for evening flights, however in later months you will find that the morning flights will be a little later and the evening flights a little earlier.

Many passengers ask us how far we’ll fly, however as we travel at the same speed as the wind, it’s difficult to give an accurate answer. Having said this, if you consider that the balloon can only safely be flown in winds up to 10 mph, we normally cover approximately 7-10 miles. You will experience views from up to 1000 feet up, but we sometimes climb to 5000 feet (around a mile high) in order to find the right wind speed at which to travel.

We are often asked whether there are any age restrictions in terms of ballooning, but what’s more important is the passenger’s health and agility. All passengers must be medically fit to fly, and as our balloon baskets are about 1.1 metres (42 inches) high, passengers will need to be able to climb into the basket. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult on the flight and must be over 8 years old, and their height must exceed 1.4 metres (4′6″). In the interests of safety and operational requirements we cannot undertake the carriage of passengers whose declared weight exceeds 18 stone (114kg).

If you’d like to book a hot air ballooning date with Balloon Rides Ltd, simply log into our date page on the web site where you can see date availability and follow our quick ordering process, or call our office during weekday office hours on 01757 288 888.

Hot air ballooning began as a crazy hobby entertained by the wealthy (or the slightly insane) and for many years ballooning over certain distances and oceans became an ambition of many. It has now established itself as a highly beneficial medium for advertising, as a popular corporate entertainment activity or incentive, and at the top of many people’s ‘Top Ten Things to Do Before They Die’.

In terms of corporate entertainment, what better way to treat potential clients and respected clients than a hot air balloon ride, particularly a ride which ends where the balloons lands within the grounds of a conference venue and is summed up with chilled champagne! When launching new products and campaigns hot air ballooning has taken its crowd by storm launching balloons of almost any shape into the sky. The company brand or product can be seen by thousands over a massive area.

In 1991, 6 of the UK’s largest and longest running balloon flight operators created the nationwide flight network which today we know as Balloons Over Britain. However the popularity of hot air ballooning only grew, as did their network; Balloons Over Britain now has 12 member companies who cover pretty much every flyable area in the UK. With locations dotted around London, the Lake District, Scotland, the South West of England, Wales and more, Balloons over Britain are proud of their achievement as the only comprehensive national balloon flight network throughout Britain.

Ballooning itself is a treat for anyone of any age who seeks any kind of thrill. A weather dependant activity it can often be a case of third time lucky, which just adds to the adventure! When the conditions are right, you’ll get that call and before you know it you’ll have helped set up the balloon and will be waiting with anticipation in the basket itself – that’s right – you, in the basket of a hot air balloon, your dream being realised. Imagine the butterflies in your tummy when it dawns on you that you’ve actually started rising, when you realise the basket is no longer on the ground, your airborne!

This could be you with just one phone call, or a couple of clicks. You can book online, read more about Balloons Over Britain and our member companies on our site, call us for a chat, or even book it with us over the phone; it’s simple, just call 0845 071 6388 or visit us at www.balloonsoverbritain.co.uk.

To experience a hot air balloon flight is an opportunity not to be missed!  The thrill of gently drifting hundreds of feet above spectacular cities and beautiful countrysides is like no other.  When experiencing a balloon flight, most of us want to experience the flight with loved ones to share the thrill of a lifetime.  At Balloons over Britain, we can make your dreams become reality as we can offer intimate flights for two or family experiences for up to sixteen passengers.  Our baskets vary in size depending on how many people are flying on the day so if you are wanting an intimate flight for two, make sure to request this when booking.

We know that in order to experience a successful hot air balloon flight, the basket needs to be safe, strong and sturdy.  Baskets are made from weaving Kooboo and Palambang cane together and these two types of cane are strong yet lightweight and flexible enough to absorb the energy from impact when the balloon lands.  Occasionally, when the balloon lands the basket may tip over which simply creates an amusing landing to add to your flight experience.  If you are flying in a T-partition basket, this is less likely to occur due to the even distibution of weight.  But what is a T-Partition basket?

The strongest type of basket is a T-Partition basket due to its extra struts.  A T-Partition basket has multiple compartments to hold passengers, the pilot and the gas cylinders which are used to heat air to make the balloon rise.  There are also open baskets which consist of one large compartment to contain the pilot, passengers and gas cylinders during the hot air balloon flight.

Some hot air balloon baskets will allow passengers to be seated but in order to fly, you must be able to stand for at least an hour.  Also, due to the nature of climbing in and out of the baskets, and for the safety of all passengers, unfortunately persons confined to a wheelchair are unable to fly. 

All parts of the hot air balloon are important none more so than the basket which carries the pilot, without whom you will be going nowhere, the propane cylinders for supplying fuel to the burner, but importantly your good self.  There have been a variety of baskets coming in all shapes and sizes, but traditionally this will be a square or rectangular in shape.

They can be made from aluminium or plastics, but traditionally they are constructed from cane for a number of very good reasons. Cane is sturdy and will flex, particularly important when the balloon lands, absorbing the impact. Because the balloon and the basket have to be transported from place to place, light and hard wearing materials are important and cane has proved itself over a period of a hundred years.

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.

One of the most important parts of a hot air balloon, after the balloon itself of course, is the basket which is used to carry the pilot, the propane gas cylinders, but of course you, the all important passenger. There are many sizes of Hot Air Balloon basket designed for as few as 2 to 3 people, up to large ones designed for as many as 20 passengers.

There has been a tradition of making the baskets from cane or wicker, which has proved itself to be both light but extremely durable. The basket has to stand up to being transported from place to place for launching and recovery. It also needs to be flexible and importantly have some give when it is subjected to the landing and subsequent trailing along the ground. Many materials have been tried such as aluminium and plastic, but the favourite is still the tried and tested cane. When you take your Hot Air Balloon flight with one of the Balloons over Britain operators flying close to where you live, you will be safe and comfortable in a traditional wicker basket.