Having had over 20 years experience of being a passenger hot air balloon company, we at Adventure Balloons receive many questions about ballooning from eager customers who want to know what they should do before their flight. Here are the most common questions we are asked:

What should I wear for my balloon flight? – For your flight you should wear outdoor clothing, as if you were going for an afternoon walk in the countryside. It is advised that you refrain from wearing shorts and skirts as well as synthetic fibres and take off any loose jewellery. Hiking boots and wellingtons and recommended as fields may be damp and muddy.

Is there a limit on age and weight? – There is no higher age limit on who can fly, but we ask that passengers are able to get in and out of the basket and can stand for around an hour. Children must be over 8 years old and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. The minimum height of a passenger should be 1.4 meters, so they can see over the balloon basket and due to safety regulations passenger’s weight cannot exceed 18 stone.

What time of day does my balloon flight get under way? – This depends on what time you booked your flight for. There are usually two flights a day, one in the morning and one in the evening. The times depend on the sunrise and sunset, but generally take place at 6am and 6pm in the summer months.

What is good hot air balloon flight weather? – For a safe and successful balloon flight, there must be little or no wind, no rain and clear visibility. If we should have to cancel your balloon flight due to bad weather, a new flight date will be given to you to suit your timetable.

If you are lucky enough to have received a hot air balloon voucher as a gift or are thinking of purchasing a flight, you will probably be wondering when you can take your once in a lifetime experience. Adventure Balloons has just released its new balloon season dates for 2009 and through the websites date availability page, you can book your balloon flight on the day and time that best suits you.

Balloon rides in the Home Counties will start on Sunday the 29th of March, though some flight areas will not start till the first week in April. The 2009 balloon season for the Home Counties will finish around the 1st of November or possibly longer if the weather conditions permit.

Hot air balloon flights in London will be available during weekday mornings on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from the 28th of April and the last flights will take place on the 13th of August.

For more information including frequently asked questions or to book your hot air balloon flight, please visit the Adventure Balloons website.

A hot air balloon flight voucher is an ideal gift for any occasion including birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas and really shows someone you care. Each balloon flight will last approximately 3 to 4 hours, with preparation, landing and champagne reception as well as an hour in the air.

When you order your balloon voucher you will receive a colour gift voucher to present as a gift, a 20 page map book and useful information about hot air balloon flights. The balloon voucher will be valid for 12 months after the purchase date, so you can choose exactly when you want to fly and on the flight day every passenger will receive a signed certificate from the pilot.

In-flight photography is also available for £15 and a range of balloon souvenirs can be purchased at the time of booking or on the day of the flight.

Although the balloon season is over for this year, Christmas is the ideal time to purchase a balloon flight voucher for a loved one so they can experience the delights of a balloon flight in the New Year.

Adventure Balloons offers a range of exclusive launch sites in the south of England, and the most popular flights are from Adventure Balloons launch sites in the historic city of Oxford from South Park and Cutteslowe Park.

During a balloon flight in Oxford, you may be able to see such sites as Oxford’s tranquil parks and colleges, Dicot Railway Centre and power station as well as the beautiful spires and cathedral of this spectacular city.

For balloon flights in the evening, Adventure Balloons normally uses South Park and Cutteslowe Park for early morning flights, which is also the setting for the annual Oxford Balloon Festival.

The way a hot air balloon flies is based on a very simple principal; warm air rises and cold air falls, so in order to get the balloon off the ground, heated air is pushed into the balloon until it is lighter than the cold air surrounding it creating lift.

A hot air balloon is made up of three essential parts; the balloon envelope, balloon burners and the balloon basket. Because a large amount of hot air is needed to provide enough lift so the balloon can rise and carry passengers, the balloons envelope is often very big and can hold up to 65,000 cubic feet of hot air.

The balloon envelope is made out of long nylon sections called gores, which are extremely strong and able to withstand the pressure of the heated air. The balloon envelope is often brightly coloured and displays the balloon company’s logo or advertising branding.

The burners act like the engine of the balloon, delivering hot air to the envelope when needed. To keep the hot air balloon in the sky, the balloon burners must constantly be heated to provide lift, but if the pilot wishes to land they will switch off the burners and open the parachute valve to cool the air, in turn descending the balloon.

The balloon basket is used for carrying the pilot, passengers and fuel for the balloons journey. The basket is usually made from Kooboo and Palambang, which is woven to make it extremely strong. These woven canes also absorb much of the impact when the balloon comes in to land.

If you’re struggling to find a gift for someone special this Christmas, why not give them a perfect Christmas gift of a hot air balloon ride. Adventure Balloon is one of the longest running passenger balloon companies in the UK and fly from various locations throughout the Home Counties and London.

With a range of unique launch sites in Oxford, Essex, Kent, Surrey and London, Adventure Balloons can provide you with an exceptional experience that will be remembered for many years. With over eight hot air balloons and various sized balloon baskets that can carry between four and sixteen passengers, Adventure balloons can cater for any requirements you might have.

If you book your hot air balloon flight now, you’ll save £20 off Adventure Balloons best selling vouchers, which start from just £85 per person. An online date reservation page is also available, so you can choose the time and date of your flight.

Make this Christmas a special one, and order your hot air balloon ride today.

A hot air balloon flight is a truly fantastic experience and one that will be remembered for a lifetime. Floating high above the ground with only the wind to guide you and seeing the beautiful countryside from a Birdseye view, a balloon flight is suitable for anyone and gives a sense of history and the same experience of the first manned flights back in the 1780’s.

With a range of unique launch sites throughout the Home Counties and London, Adventure balloons also flies from the idyllic county of Hertfordshire from its sites at Stevenage, Watford and Hemel Hempstead.

Because of the nearby Luton Airport, Adventure Balloons must keep their balloons clear of the restricted airspace as much as possible. This means that the balloon launch site will be chosen depending on the weather and wind direction on the flight day.

Wherever you fly from you will see the magnificent Hertfordshire countryside and may also see such attractions as the historic Hatfield House, Bovingdon village and WWII airport and the London skyline.