With over 20 years experience in passenger balloon flights, Adventure Balloons is now one of the biggest companies offering hot air balloon rides in the UK. The company was founded in April 1985, when there were few companies offering balloon rides in the UK.

Demand quickly grew and by 1988 they purchased a four passenger balloon, followed by several others. Adventure Balloons now operate seven hot air balloons, which can hold between four and sixteen passengers.

The sixteen passenger balloon, which was purchased from two millionaires who used it for travelling across the North Sea, was the first hot air balloon of this size to be allowed to fly in the UK by the Civil Aviation Authority.

As demand for their balloon rides grew, Adventure Balloons joined forces with renowned balloon maker Lindstrand and developed new ways to improve both passenger and pilot safety.

As Adventure Balloons flights have increased, so have the number of launch sites and they now offer flights from several locations situated in the Home Countries including; Kent, Berkshire, Surrey and Oxford and are also one of only a couple of companies that offer flights over London.

Before you are taken high above the English countryside on you’re hot air balloon ride, you will be invited to take part in the pre-flight preparation of the balloon. Although nothing can beat the experience of majestically flying above the beautiful landscape, the balloons preparation can be an impressive show for both passengers and spectators.

You can watch as the balloons envelope is taken out of its relatively small bag, laid out at the launch site and inflated into its massive dome like structure, which happens quicker than you can imagine. Once the balloon is inflated enough the basket is attached and the burners fitted. It is then only a matter of minutes until you are experiencing the unique and spectacular activity of ballooning.

The preparation of the hot air balloon takes about an hour, with a similar time to pack it away after flight. The balloon flight usually lasts for about an hour, so you should allow 3 to 4 hours for the whole experience.

As with any aircraft a hot air balloon requires regular maintenance and repair in order to keep it airworthy. Because a balloon is made of fabric it may occasionally require repairing due to snags and rips.

While most of the maintenance such as cleaning and drying can be performed by the pilot or balloon crew, tasks like sewing and repairing the envelope must be performed by a qualified technician and be recorded in the balloons log book.

To guarantee a long and safe operation, the envelope ought to be kept clean and dry. This prevents the build up of mould and mildew, which can weaken the fabric.

The burners must also be kept clean and tidy to make sure of safe operation. Damaged or leaky fuel hoses and valves must be repaired or replaced.

If a rip or snag is discovered in the envelope fabric, it can either be patched up or the whole panel replaced. Patches are usually glued, taped or stitched on, whereas replacing a whole panel requires the new piece to be sewn in using the appropriate technique, thread and stitch pattern to ensure a strong seam.

It wasn’t until 1978 when the Atlantic was finally crossed in a hot air balloon. Three people piloted the balloon, Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman and flew 3,120 miles in 137 hours. The balloon was called the Double Eagle II and has now become a part of balloon history.

All three pilots had several years of aviation experience between them, including hot air balloons, airplanes and gliders. Abruzzo and Anderson had attempted the Atlantic crossing the year before in 1977 but failed as the balloon crashed into the sea off the coast of Iceland.

The balloon launched on the 11th August 1978 from Presque Isle an Maine, and the first 5 days went as planned. On the sixth day the atmospheric conditions caused the balloon to drop 19,500 feet to its lowest point of just above 4,000 feet, which is known as the Big Drop. Luckily the sun heated the envelope and the balloon was able to rise to a safe level.

Once they had passed Iceland they knew that they had done it, and on getting to France started their decent. A transcontinental balloon had never landed on dry land before and upon landing the pilots had made balloon history.

Hot air ballooning is one of the most romantic ways to fly. Not many people can resist the attraction of rising thousands of feet over the countryside without any sensation of movement or rising, just the experience of the ground slowly dropping away.

Looking up inside the balloon from the handmade traditional wicker basket, the brightly coloured panels resemble a magnificent piece of dome like architecture.

During the hot air balloon flight you will cover anything from 2 to 20 miles, depending on the strength and direction of the wind, and that is one of the many romantic virtues of ballooning. With breathtaking views of towns, villages and countryside, the experience will be with you for years to come.

Adventure Balloons are also able to cater for any special requests you may have including, a Happy Birthday balloon and a choice of venue.

Often after seeing a hot air balloon in flight, many people gain an interest in ballooning and frequently wonder what it takes to be a pilot. The first stage to becoming a pilot is to learn all of the duties of the crew members. This may involve you working as a crew member to gain the necessary experience.

To become a pilot you must be at least 14 years old and be in good health, take a written exam and pass a flight test with an FAA registered examiner.

You will need to keep a Pilot Log Book and maintain a record of all of your ground and flight training. All commercial balloon pilots have flight instructor privileges, so you will need to find a commercial pilot that has the spare time to take you on as a student.

There are two types of pilots licence, a private licence and a commercial licence. A private licence allows you to take passengers up, but you cannot charge them. Only a commercial pilot’s licence can allow you to operate a balloon for hire.

To gain a private pilot’s licence requirements you to; complete 10 hours of flight instruction, pass a written knowledge test, complete a ground school study course and pass a flight test with an FAA instructor.

A commercial pilot’s licence can be achieved by; accomplishing 35 hours of flight instruction, completing the ground school study course and passing the knowledge and flight tests.

Once you have completed your training you will be issued with a Lighter-That-Air private or commercial licence that will allow you to be in command of your very own hot air balloon.

New for 2008, Adventure Balloons now offer their passengers balloon rides in the counties of Kent, Sussex and Essex.

The launch site in Kent is at The Hop Farm Country Park near Tunbridge Wells, home to impressive Oast Houses which were used in the local brewing industry. Normally referred to as “The Garden of England”, Kent boasts wonderful rural views.

Balloon rides over Sussex will be made from the beautiful grounds of Buxted Park. The park boasts over 312 acres of National Parkland roamed by deer and divided by the River Uck, passengers will often be able to see the South Coast as well as having a birds-eye view of Sussex.

Balloon Flights in Essex will use various launch sites located throughout the county including Chelmsford, Colchester and Brentwood. These sites have been specially chosen to avoid areas of controlled airspace such as airports and offer the spectacular scenery that the Essex countryside has to offer.

During the winter months the good old British weather is not really suited to hot air balloon flights, so we try to use our balloons and baskets in a more innovative way. Our exclusive Happy Birthday Balloon has a small basket that takes up to 4 people and is often used in film and advertising work.

The latest project we have been involved with is the new McCain’s television advert for their Homefries chips. The basket, which features near the end of the advert, has three singing nuns one of them holding a bowl of Homefries chips.

All the roof top footage was shot in a large West London studio with lots of extravagantly painted landscapes and scenery, and of course a few green screens used for superimposing. The balloon basket was suspended from a crane, not the way we like to do it, we prefer a balloon but we’ll let them off.

Since hot air balloons move with the air and are not directly steered by the pilot, the weather is a vital factor in making a decision on whether to fly or not. Before the launch, the pilot will be in contact with the weather service to find out about the wind conditions and climate around the proposed launch site.

Another consideration on the part of the pilot is ground conditions. Although not as important as the climate and wind conditions, if the ground is wet the basket might churn up the field on take-off and reduce the likelihood of the landowner giving you permission for further flights.

Hot air balloons need stable winds to operate efficiently and flights are made either early morning or evenings depending on the sunrise and sunset. At these times the weather is cooler and the balloon flies better due to the hot air producing more lift. It is not advisable to fly during the daytime, because as the earth heats up it produces thermal pockets of air that can cause turbulence when in a balloon.

The weather is always of the upmost importance, as storms are very hazardous for balloons with the possible threat of a lightning strike. Even rain is a problem, because it reduces visibility and damages the balloons fabric. Pilots tend to fly when the weather is near ideal and when the skies are clear and wind conditions are close to normal.

Adventure Balloon’s very own director, Kim Hull got to have a bit of the lime-light, as he was interviewed by Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2. With over 25 years of experience in piloting hot air balloons, Kim was invited to talk on BBC Radio 2 as part of their “High Flying Jobs” series of interviews on Chris Evans drive time show.

During the interview Chris becomes very excited about ballooning, even asking how long it takes to become a pilot and how much a hot air balloon costs. Could we be seeing a Chris Evans branded balloon over the Surrey countryside in the near future? Only time will tell.

To listen to the interview click here or go to the news page on the Adventure Balloons website.