At Balloons over Britain we have been offering hot air balloon flights form locations near you since our establishments in 1991. With our operators you can relax and enjoy the thrill of a lifetime, help with the preparation of the hot air balloon and tell your friends and work colleagues about your flight.

Finding some one who has the depth of experience and has been operating commercial hot air balloon flights for some time is not something that you should do by just flicking through the Yellow Pages. Balloons over Britain should be you first and only stop, it is here that you will be able to buy a gift certificate and find out all the information that you need to enjoy your Hot Air Balloon flight.

There may be a balloon club near you, which would be a great way to find out about hot air balloon rides. Balloon clubs are friendly places and people, who are members, or those who visit their gatherings for a launch, are after all, like minded people with the same interests of participating in this exciting pastime. Many pilots welcome new crew members, and volunteering to be a balloon member crew is probably the quickest way to learn about the sport.

At Balloons over Britain we have been offering hot air balloon flights since 1991 and we are the UK’s largest and longest established balloon flight operators with more than 70 launch sites throughout the country. Contact us and we may be able to put you in touch with a club near you, hot air ballooning is a very social sport and you’ll surely make new friends when you join a balloon club.

Hanging virtually motionless over a patchwork of fields or a lake, seeing the reflection of the Hot Air Balloon in its still waters, silence being broken only by the occasional sound from the gas burner keeping us safely in the air, such is the delight of the early morning Hot Air Balloon flight. Setting off from your local launch site at the crack of dawn, the sun rising above the horizon as we help the chase crew assemble the balloon and watch in awe as the giant highly coloured envelope fills before our eyes and then we are up and away.

Lighter than air was the first choice of flight over 200 years ago and is still first choice for many, there is no need for a runway or an airport to lift off from, just a field or a pre-arranged park, when you quietly drift without too much sensation of movement and then when the time comes and your pilot has found the right place, land probably before most people are out of bed, but think about what they have missed!

Balloons over Britain operate dawn and dusk flights from a locality near you and we guarantee that it is an experience that you will never forget and will certainly want to repeat.

The best way to find out about the sport of Hot Air Ballooning is to buy a flight, help with the inflation of the balloon and packing this away after landing, this is a part which most passengers enjoy and gets them totally involved.

At Balloons over Britain we have more companies than any other who can offer a flight from your locality, without the need to travel miles away from home. Your flight will take between one to three hours for the whole adventure and will be either at dawn, or dusk as these are the most suitable times for Hot Air Balloon flights when the wind is calmest. We believe that once you have taken your first flight you will become hooked and want to follow this up with more involvement in this exciting adventure activity, even joining a local club or ballooning association.

Balloons over Britain would not have been flying on Friday the 25th of January 2008 that is a certainty. The winds were blowing at gale force in the North of the Britain and this was accompanied by rain squalls.

A hot air balloon needs certain weather conditions to fly successfully, not just for safety, but for the enjoyment of those taking part, Hot Air Ballooning is a sport and a participating pastime for all who take part. We all know that Hot air balloon rides are very dependent on the weather. A flight will not take place if the winds speeds are high, that is above 10 miles per hour at ground level, and similarly the cloud level is too low for safety reasons. Balloons over Britain operators will not only take the legal minimum weather conditions into account, but also whether the conditions will make for an enjoyable flight, contact us for the details of your nearest operator.

Often when you see Hot Air Balloons in flight they may not be taking passengers on pleasure flights, they could be in competition, yes racing! The term ‘racing’ may not be the best choice of words when talking about balloon competitions because balloons don’t ‘race’ in the normal sense of the word because it is not about being first across an imaginary line, it is really about a how close a pilot can come to a predetermined area or target. Many forms of competition take place at Hot Air Balloon festivals which are held all over the country through the flying season, normally spring through to the late autumn.

A number of Hot Air Balloon festivals are due to take place during 2008 and there will be one in a location which is near you, the next is the Brass Monkey Festival on the 2nd and 3rd of February 2008 at Rudding Park Harrogate.

When you book your flight through Balloons over Britain you will be given all the necessary instruction to prepare you for the big day, but there are some things that we believe will make your day out even more memorable, and that is what it should be.

Firstly, you should take a camera, beg or borrow if you do not have one of your own. Wear plenty of warm clothing because your early morning flight means that it will be cool to say the least and the higher you go, the colder it can become. Sensible flat and comfy shoes should always be worn, waterproof if possible as the grass can be damp in the early morning. This is an aircraft, remember the pilot is in charge, so listen to and do what he recommends. Bring your family with you to enjoy the experience and arrange to meet them in a pub for a super breakfast and tell them all about your flight.

Enjoy your experience and remember that ballooning is proven to be the safest form of aviation and we guarantee that you will return many times over.

We would always want you to take your Hot Air Balloon flight with us in bright sunny weather, sadly we all know the vagaries of the British weather and this is not possible. Your arranged flight will take place if the operator considers the weather to be suitable, sunshine or not.

There are however, certain conditions that will prevent a flight taking place such as in rain, or if it is foggy. Hot Air Ballooning is completely weather dependent and you will be instructed to telephone your operator on the day of the flight to see if the weather will allow a flight to take place, if it is not you simply rebook for another convenient day. Should you decide to postpone your flight, we must point out that this must me within the minimum period of notice that you will find in the operator’s written instructions. Please remember that if you do not turn up for your flight, it is lost.

There are a large number of commercial hot air balloon ride companies in the UK, and choosing a company for a hot air balloon ride can be difficult but it does not have to be so, whether this is as a gift, or for the thrill and enjoyment of experiencing a Hot Air Balloon rides themselves.

Most operators will advertise themselves in some way or another, this could be in the Yellow Pages or more likely nowadays on the internet. But how do you know how good the operator is? By using the online services of Balloons over Britain you will be assured that your chosen operator more than meets the requirements needed to operate a Hot Air Balloon commercially, but has the years of experience to make your flight enjoyable. Balloons over Britain have been established since 1991 and have a fleet of over 40 balloons with daily scheduled flights operating literally from dawn until dusk. Arranging your flight could not be easier.

My people taking Hot Air Balloon trips with us ask how they can become licensed balloon pilots. A hot air balloon is a registered aircraft, the same as any fixed wing aircraft or helicopter and the person flying must hold a valid Private Pilots Licence, known as a PPL (B). Although anyone with average ability can fulfil the requirements for the PPL (B) it is not an activity to be taken lightly. You will have to be able to cope with problems and circumstances that may arise and you could be responsible for the safety of people who may be flying with you.

 To obtain a PPL (B) there are some minimum requirements including; flying experience of 16 hours within 24 months, at least six flights, four of which will be with a BBAC instructor, the remainder with any valid PPL (B). You will be required to take a flight test and perform a solo flight, take a written examination within a 24 month period. These are but a few of the minimum requirements that are required to become a qualified Hot Air Balloon pilot, but we are sure you find it worth while.