For anyone who has a fascination with hot air balloons, joining a balloon crew is one of the most fulfilling and exciting jobs and a great introduction to ballooning. Before joining a balloon crew, you should know about the different positions and tasks involved in launching and landing a hot air balloon.

The first of these positions is the crown line. The pilot will usually choose a strong individual for this task as they will act as an anchor and use a rope to stabilise the balloon as it is inflated. Once the balloon is inflated the rope is then connected to the balloon basket.

The throat consists of up to three of the balloon crew members holding the throat of the balloon open as it inflates. The balloon is first inflated with cool air and then the air is heated with the balloons burners. The crew members will hold the throat open till the balloon starts to come upright and then place their weight on the balloon basket as it stands.

Once the balloon is launched, the chase crew loads up the remaining items and follows the balloon. The chase crew will try to stay as close as they can to the hot air balloon so they can assist the pilot whilst landing.

The landing of the balloon will involve the whole balloon crew, with one of them trying to locate the landowner to ask permission to land. Once the all clear has been given and the balloon comes in to land the crew position themselves on each side of the balloon, adding additional weight to the balloon and stopping it. The balloon is then packed away and loaded onto the chase vehicles and another successful balloon flight is concluded with soft drinks, champagne and certificate presentations.

Balloon spotting as a hobby has been steadily growing in popularity over the past thirty years, mainly due to the fact that hot air balloons are more affordable, so there are greater number of them and the growing number of balloon festivals being held worldwide. There is now thought to be over 2000 balloon spotters in the UK alone, and this number is increasing every year.

Balloon spotting can be traced back to the first hot air balloons of the 1780’s, where people would gather and watch as the balloon envelope filled up with hot air and ascended majestically into the sky.

The best way of seeing a hot air balloon is to visit a balloon festival; there are many festivals held each year all over the UK, so finding one close to you is easy. A balloon festival will give you a chance to see lots of hot air balloons in one place and will often feature oddly shaped balloons and advertising balloons, just don’t forget your camera!

Another way to see a hot air balloon is to visit your nearest balloon launch site; most balloon operators allow spectators to watch the launching of a balloon as long as they don’t obstruct the launching process.

Adventure Balloons is one of the longest running passenger balloon flight companies in the UK, and first offered their balloon flights to the public in April 1985. Back in the mid 80’s very few hot air balloon companies offered UK balloon flights, so demand grew rapidly and in 1988 Adventure Balloons added a four passenger balloon, followed by several other balloons and baskets.

Adventure Balloons has now got a fleet of over eight hot air balloons, which can take between four and sixteen passengers and has over 15 launch sites in the Home Counties and London. All of their balloons boast the unique ‘Stained Glass Window’ design, which is also used for the Adventure Balloons logo and on merchandise such as mugs, t-shirts and flight memorabilia.

As the demand for hot air balloon flights grew, Adventure Balloons began working with balloon manufacturers to develop and improve the safety and enjoyment for their passengers; keeping them at the forefront of design and technology in the passenger balloon flight industry.

Adventure Balloons have been offering passenger balloon flights since 1985, making it the longest running balloon company in the South East of England. Having over 20 years experience in the ballooning business, Adventure Balloons provides you with an unforgettable experience and, not surprisingly, almost half of our customers are based on recommendations.

Offering a range of champagne balloon flights from over 15 launch sites in the Home Counties such as, Oxford, Guildford, Kent, Sussex and London, Adventure Balloons can cater for all your needs including Happy Birthday balloons that hold 2, 4 and even 16 passengers, professional in-flight photography and special gift sets.

Book your balloon flight now and take advantage of Adventure Balloons special Christmas offer of £20 off all balloon flights; you can also contribute towards a flight by purchasing one of the balloon eVouchers, which range from between £25 and £250, so you can choose exactly how much you want to give as a gift.

Hot air ballooning as a hobby, has grown very popular over the past few years and because of advances in technology and materials, ballooning has become even cheaper and safer than ever before.

One of the most common hot air balloons used by hobbyists are one-man balloons, because they are small, light and cheaper to run. Also called cloudhoppers or hopper balloons, a one-man balloon as the name suggests holds one person, but instead of a balloon basket, the pilot is strapped into a harness that has a propane tank attached to it.

One-man balloons are usually much smaller than passenger balloons, ranging between 14,000 and 35,000 cubic feet in size, and the average time it can fly for can be up to 1.5 hours, depending on the weather and wind conditions.

Ideal for the hobbyist or professional balloonist, the one-man balloon is generally flown for recreational purposes, but many companies are now turning to them to provide a unique advertising platform, which is both cheaper to run and quicker to launch than a standard balloon.

A hot air balloon flight is a spectacular experience; watching as the huge dome-like structure inflates to reveal the vibrantly coloured balloon, getting into the balloons basket and floating majestically into the sky is truly ore inspiring and will be remembered for years to come.

Buying a hot air balloon voucher is easy with Adventure Balloons, and for a limited time there is £20 off all balloon vouchers, so it really is the best time to book yours.

Balloon flights in the Home Counties start from just £85 per person for weekday flights and weekend balloon rides are just £105. The Home Counties standard voucher allows you to travel on weekdays or weekends and is £125.

London Balloon flights are £165 per person and are reserved for weekday mornings only, and flights in Kent, Essex and Sussex are £155 and can be used for both weekday and weekend flights.

The Rugby voucher gives you the ultimate choice and can be used for weekday and weekend flights from any of Adventure Balloons launch sites (excluding London).

There are also a range of balloon eVouchers available, so you can choose how much you want to put towards the balloon flight, perfect if you are giving it as a gift to a loved one. eVouchers range from £25 to £250 and are an ideal present for Christmas.

Hot air ballooning has become very popular over the past three decades, and is now not only reserved for commercial use, but are accessible to hobbyists and companies looking for unique advertising platforms too.

This new found popularity is not just down to the truly remarkable experience of floating high above the ground, it is also due to the price dramatically falling, as the introduction of new technologies such as computer aided design and new materials cut manufacturing costs.

There are various sizes and shapes of hot air balloon from one man and hopper balloons, to commercial passenger balloons and even specially shaped balloons for advertising. The process of making a hot air balloon starts with the initial design.

The design is first created on a computer with special software, printed out and sent to the customer for approval. Once approved, the design is transferred to the computer controlled cutting table, where the design is cut out of special non-rip material.

The cut-out design is then sewn together using specially designed sewing machines that use unique stitches, which provide strength and durability as well as stability to the structure. The balloon or envelope as it is known in the business is then sent for final assembly, where the envelope is rigorously tested.

Once the balloon envelope has passed all of the safety and strength tests, it is sent to the customer and ready to take its maiden flight.

Although Surrey is a small county, it still has some of the most beautiful countryside in the UK and there are many sites to see, especially from the basket of a hot air balloon, such as Guilford Castle and Cathedral, Alice Holt Forrest and Farnham Castle.

During a balloon flight in Surrey you may also pass over small towns and villages like Churt and Elstead, or the ruins of Waverley Abbey as well as the River Wey.

Adventure Balloons have various launch sites in Surrey including Farnham Park, Shalford Park in Guildford and Burys in Goldalming. The launch site will be chosen based on the weather and wind conditions on the day of the flight, as consideration must be taken to stay out of the airspace of both Gatwick and Heathrow airports.

A hot air balloon flight is a magical experience and is an ideal gift to give to a loved one on a special occasion. Adventure Balloons offer a wide range of balloon vouchers for flights from the Home Counties and London, so you’re bound to find a launch site close to you.

Christmas will soon be upon us once again, and what better way to celebrate the festive season than by giving a loved one a hot air balloon voucher as a gift.

Adventure Balloons is making it easy by offering £20 off its top selling balloon vouchers just for Christmas. With prices starting from just £85 per person and a range of launch sites all over the South of England, Adventure Balloons can make you or your loved ones day one to remember!

All of Adventure Balloons vouchers include, the balloon flight experience, which lasts for around 3-4 hours with approximately 1 hour in the air, a full colour gift voucher that you can fill in and give as a gift and a 20 page map pack with useful information about the balloon flight. After the flight the passengers will also be presented with a flight certificate signed by the pilot and a champagne toast.

All of Adventure Balloons vouchers are valid for 12 months and a range of flight souvenirs are also available including in-flight pictures, which can be purchased for £15.

Hot air ballooning is the oldest form of flying and has always caused a sense of ore and inspiration as these huge structures take to the sky.

The first official hot air balloon flight was launched on the 19th September 1783, by a French scientist called Pilatre De Rozier. The first flight was unmanned, but onboard was a duck, a rooster and a sheep; the balloon flew for around 15 minutes before coming back to the ground.

It wasn’t till two months later, November 1783 that the first successful manned balloon flight took place. This time the balloon held two French brothers, Etienne and Joseph Montgolfier who flew for 20 minutes over Paris.

It is due to the endeavours of these early aeronauts that we can enjoy the delights and splendour of a modern hot air balloon flight. Why not book your balloon flight today, or treat a loved one to the unforgettable experience of a balloon ride.