How to get a start in Hot Air Ballooning
Published by admin on July 29th, 2008 in Hot Air Balloons, Balloon Flights, Balloon Crew
It used to be the boy who stood on the station platform and watched the big steam trains who said “one day I want to be an engine driver”, more likely now he would be saying that he wanted to be a pilot.
Piloting a Hot Air Balloon requires lots of training by qualified instructors, all of whom are of course qualified CAA registered Hot Air Balloon Pilots. The route that most people take to begin with is to become part of the crew which is vital in any Hot Air Balloon ride operation. Since balloons drift with the wind, their pilots can’t simply turn around and fly home when they’re ready. A two or three-person crew helps the pilot rig the equipment, holds open the envelope while it fills with cold air, and applies weight to the outside of the basket as needed before launch. Then they follow the balloon on the ground, and after the landing help the pilot pack everything up and bring it home again.
Why not get the “feel” of it by taking a Hot Air Balloon Ride from one of the many local locations that we can offer through our national voucher scheme. You never know, you could be flying one of our balloons one day!
