A hot air balloon flight is an ideal gift for any special occasion such as, an anniversary, birthday, Christmas gift or even that fantastic Valentine’s Day surprise. Adventure Balloons has many years of experience when it comes to passenger balloon flights, and has been operating for over 20 years around the South of England.

Experience the delights of flying in a hot air balloon, as you quietly float high up in the sky, only powered by the wind and the occasional firing of the balloon burners. It is a truly unforgettable experience, and the main reason why nearly half of our balloon bookings come from personal recommendations.

With prices starting at only £85 per person and the added bonus of online booking and date reservation, it has never been so easy to book your balloon flight.

Here at Adventure Balloons we love anything to do with ballooning, and when we read an interesting article about how a hot air balloon could be used for renewable energy, we just had to share it with you.

Ian Edmonds, an environmental consultant from Australian based firm Solartran, has developed a way to harness the hot air balloon to produce a large amount of renewable energy. The device, called the Balloon Engine is capable of producing up to 50 kilowatts; enough to power 10 houses.

The Balloon Engine works by first trapping solar energy in a greenhouse; this hot air is then pumped into the balloon, which in turns rises and pulls a tether, turning an electric generator on the ground. When the balloon reaches an altitude of around 3000 meters (1.8 miles) the air is let out and the balloon is pulled back to the ground using less power than it produced.

Developer Ian Edmonds talked about the Balloon Engine by saying: “It is like a huge two-stroke engine, with a capacity of 45 million litres, a stroke of 3 kilometres, and a frequency of one revolution per hour”.

He also said that if the balloons diameter was doubled, it would increase the power output by tenfold, significantly reducing costs.

Hertfordshire has some of the best countryside in the UK, and, coupled with historic landmarks such as Hatfield House and St Albans Cathedral, is a great place to have your hot air balloon flight. Specialising in champagne balloon flights, Adventure Balloons have several launch sites in Hertfordshire including Watford, Stevenage and Hemel Hempstead.

To provide their passengers with a safe and enjoyable flight, the hot air balloon must be kept clear of Luton airport, so the launch site will be chosen on the day of the flight, depending on the wind speed and direction.

Wherever you fly from in Hertfordshire, you are bound to see the rolling hills and countryside that makes this county famous, as well as historical landmarks such as Hatfield House, the WWII airbase at Bovingdon village and on a clear day the London skyline.

Booking a balloon flight is easy and can be done by ordering a balloon voucher online, or if you prefer to pay by check, by downloading and printing the booking form. There is also an online date availability page, so you can book your preferred location and date up to 60 days in advance.

There is nothing better than treating your loved one to a special and unforgettable gift on Valentine’s Day, and one of the most romantic gifts has to be a hot air balloon ride. Floating high above the fantastic countryside, with only the wind to guide you is truly breathtaking and truly a gift to be remembered forever.

Adventure Balloons offers a broad range of champagne balloon flights from over 20 unique launch sites in the Home Counties and London, where you can have a choice of a morning or evening flight to suit your needs.

The whole balloon ride experience will take up to 3 or 4 hours, with approximately an hour in the sky and passengers are invited to assist in the preparation and packing away of the balloon if they so wish. After the flight there is also a champagne reception and certificate ceremony.

Adventure Balloons can cater for any special requirements you may have, and with prices starting from only £85 per person, it will be a perfect day for everyone!

The weather is the most important factor when deciding to launch a hot air balloon. As a balloon moves with the wind and is not steered directly by the pilot, the wind speed must be measured before launch. Good visibility is also key, as the pilot needs to be able to see any hazards that can compromise the balloon.

Storms and rain will prevent a hot air balloon from launching, as the lack of visibility and the risk of a lightning strike are increased and can damage the balloons material.

Before launching any hot air balloon, the pilot will check the local weather to find out if the forecast climate and wind speeds are ideal; this is done by keeping in touch with the local weather service, who will relay real-time forecasts to the pilot and balloon crew.

The hot air balloon will usually be launched early in the morning or close to sunset, as the winds are more stable and the climate is cooler; this helps the balloon and provides greater lift when the hot air is pumped into it.

A pilot will only fly a hot air balloon if the weather is ideal; this ensures the safety of the pilot and passengers as well as the balloon and balloon crew.

A hot air balloon flight is one of the greatest experiences and is an ideal gift for any special occasion, including birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas or wedding gifts. Adventure Balloons offers hot air balloon flights in the South East of England, and has launch sites in Kent, Sussex, Oxford and Reading as well as various sites in and around London.

Most of Adventure Balloons launch sites are unique to them, are easy accessible and are perfect for friends and family to come and watch your balloon launch up into the air. The launch sites are carefully chosen to give the passengers both countryside and town views during the flight and the best opportunity to capture some breathtaking aerial photographs.

If you purchase your hot air balloon ride today, you will receive £20 off your voucher, making the Home Counties balloon voucher only £105 per person for weekday flights and £125 for the Home Counties weekday or weekend flight.

Balloon flights over London now cost only £165 per person and are available on weekday mornings and our special Happy Birthday Balloon ride costs between £500 and £750 for up to 4 people (depending on location and number of people).

Using hot air balloons as an advertising platform or for promoting new and existing products has been around for many years. A uniquely shaped or branded hot air balloon can make a great addition to existing advertising campaigns, as the balloon not only attracts attention, but also holds the spectators interest.

With an estimated 6 million people attending balloon festivals in the UK alone, and the added bonus of the balloon envelope being able to be seen from a distance, a branded or specially shaped balloon has the ability to be seen by millions more and has greater longevity than TV and radio adverts.

The most famous and well known balloon is probably the Bud Light Spirit of Freedom, which was piloted by Steve Fossett as he became the first person to circumnavigate the globe. The flight took just 14 days, 19 hours and 51 minutes to navigate around the world and as Bud Light sponsored the balloon; its name was mentioned every time the balloon was talked about.

The balloon season the fast approaching and what better way to enjoy your first balloon flight than with a flight over the fantastic county of Surrey. Adventure balloons have balloon launch sites in Guildford and Farnham as well as an alternative site at Holt Pound, which is sometimes used.

To ensure that our passengers enjoy a safe flight the launch site is chosen depending on the weather conditions on the flight day, to ensure that the hot air balloon stays out of restricted airspace. Wherever you fly from in Surrey, you are bound to see such sites as Guildford Cathedral, Loseley House, Farnham Castle and Waverley Abbey.

Surrey also boasts some fantastic countryside views, which gives you the opportunity of some really great aerial photographs, and who knows if you live in Surrey you might even get to see your house from a unique Birdseye view!

A hot air balloon flight is the most romantic way to fly, especially if you’re with a loved one and will give you a magical experience that will be remembered for many years. Ballooning has its own unique feeling, of rising majestically into the sky and the sense of the ground simply dropping away, which is very different to what the passengers expect.

As you look up into the balloon from the safety of the wicker balloon basket, the bright and vibrant panels, coupled with the huge dome like structure is truly breathtaking.

The hot air balloon flight lasts around an hour and the balloon can travel up to 20 miles, depending on the wind and ascend up to 30,000 feet up in the air. This gives superb views of the countryside, towns and villages and local landmarks, which also provides an ample chance to capture some great aerial photographs.

If you should so wish, you can also help the balloon crew prepare for the flight and pack the balloon away, before relaxing with a glass of champagne at the certificate ceremony.

Adventure Balloons, one of the country’s first passenger balloon companies, offers hot air balloon rides over the River Thames from its launch sites in Reading and Padworth Village. Having flown our balloons from Reading and the surrounding area since the early 1990’s, the pilots will check the weather for the flight day and launch from the site that will give you the best views.

Whether you fly from Prospect Park or Kings Meadow in Reading or the alternative launch site to the west in Padworth Village, you are bound to see fantastic sights such as the Roman town of Calleva, Readings Madjeski Stadium and small villages and towns on the banks of the Thames like Wokingham, Henley on Thames and the Caversham Marina.

Being the only passenger balloon company to fly from Reading’s parks, Adventure Balloons and its experienced pilots can show you the delightful and tranquil sights of Berkshire and its wonderful countryside.