Here at Adventure Balloons we often get asked lots of questions about our balloon flights, so here are the most frequently asked questions and answers to give you a bit more information about a hot air balloon flight.

What do I wear on a balloon flight?

To be comfortable on your balloon flight it is recommended that you wear sensible outdoor clothes, the type you would wear for a walk in the countryside. Flat shoes, hiking boots or wellingtons are ideal footwear for the flight as the fields may be damp. It is also recommended that you cover up or take off loose jewellery that can get caught and that you bring a hat as the balloons burners heat up very quickly, especially on evening flights.

Is there an age limit?

Children wanting to take a balloon flight must be over the age of 8 and at least 4’6” high to see over the side of the balloon; children under 16 must also be accompanied by an adult. There is no upper age limit, but because ballooning is an outdoor sport, it requires a degree of agility to climb in and out of the balloons basket and to stand for approximately 1 hour.

What time of day do balloon flights take place?

A balloon flight takes place in the early morning or evening because the cooler temperatures help the balloon to rise faster, giving more lift. Times usually depend on the sunrise and sunset so change throughout the season, but generally morning flights take off at 6am and evening flights at 6pm.

What sort of weather do you need for a balloon flight?

Ballooning is weather dependant because it travels with the wind, so for a successful flight there must be good visibility, no rain and light winds. If your flight gets cancelled due to bad weather, the flight will be rescheduled to suit your timetable.

How do I book a balloon flight?

A hot air balloon flight can be booked online by purchasing a balloon voucher, over the phone or by printing the booking form and faxing it back to us. Along with your balloon voucher you will also receive a 20 page informational booklet that includes the launch site map, meeting times, FAQ’s and information about the balloon flight.

Floating majestically into the sky in a huge balloon is one of the most romantic ways to fly and seeing the sun rise or set from the wicker basket is often ore inspiring, as are the spectacular views as you travel over the countryside.

The actual balloon flight lasts for around an hour and the balloon can travel between 2 and 20 miles depending on the wind, reaching heights of up to 3,000 feet. Passengers are advised to allow 3 to 4 hours for the whole balloon experience; this includes the launching and landing of the balloon and certificate ceremony.

Passengers are also invited to help in the launching and deflating of the balloon, adding to the experience and spectators are welcomed to see you off as long as they do not interfere with the balloon crew.

The views are what most people take a balloon flight for and from the balloons basket you will be able to see various towns and villages, spectacular landmarks, stunning countryside and even wildlife providing able opportunities for aerial photography.

Book your balloon flight today and experience the romance and delights of the oldest form of flying.

In 2008 Adventure Balloons started offering passenger balloon flights over Essex, Kent and Sussex and it has proved to be a very popular area. The rolling countryside’s and spectacular sights of these counties has been attracting balloon enthusiasts from all over the country, and when you take a balloon flight over Essex, Kent or Sussex you will see why.

Essex flights take place from launch sites located in Colchester, Braintree, Chelmsford and Brentwood and have been specially chosen to stay clear of restricted airspace of neighbouring airports whist offering an enjoyable and scenic flight.

Known as the ‘Garden of England’, Kent boasts an array of impressive Oast Houses and vineyards used for the local ale industry and with the launch sites at Hop Farm County Park and Lamberhurst Vineyard, you will get to see this truly fantastic county in all its glory.

When taking a balloon flight over Sussex, you can expect to see the magnificent countryside, towns and villages of this county as well as the South Coast, which allows for some fantastic aerial photography; Sussex balloon flight take off from the beautiful grounds of Buxted Park.

During this current economic climate, many companies are cutting costs and trying novel ways to advertise their products. Although advertising on a hot air balloon is not new, it has been proven to reach more people and have more longevity than local radio and newspaper advertising, as well as being considerably cheaper.

Whether the company wants to advertise on a standard balloon or have a custom made balloon for a specific product, this can easily be done because of the advances in hot air balloon manufacture. The computerisation of balloon manufacture has meant that a balloon can now be made virtually any shape or size, perfect for advertising products and services.

A hot air balloon festival is probably one of the best ways to show your balloon, and with an estimated 4 million people attending balloon festivals in the UK each year, that’s a large target audience to advertise to.

Using a hot air balloon to advertise your products or services is an easy and fun way to promote your business.

Virgin Balloons has apologised to the villagers of Lambley after one of its balloons narrowly missed houses as it came in to land. The incident happened as the hot air balloon, operated by Virgin aborted a landing in a field due to their being horses in it.

Villager Russ Swann, who witnessed the incident and also captured it on video said: “The balloon came by and when it disappeared behind my next door neighbour’s house we ran up into the field and saw it going through the village at what looked like chimney pot height.”

Virgin Balloons maintain that the balloon was fully controlled during the flight, issuing a statement which said: “One of our Virgin balloons took off from our launch site at Wollaton Park in Nottingham at 1825 BST on Sunday carrying 16 passengers and travelled on the wind out of the city in a north easterly direction.”

The statement when on to say, “On approach for landing the pilot reduced altitude, but aborted the landing when he noticed two horses in the field and, using the quieter ‘whisper’ burner, quickly gained altitude and flew on.”

Virgin Balloons said that the pilot eventually landed the hot air balloon in a field further down, successfully completing the flight and that the land owner and the owner of the horses were satisfied with the landing.

Taking a hot air balloon flight is an exhilarating experience, with one of the most popular flights locations being London. Experience the sights and sounds of this magnificent city and observe the integration of historical and modern landmarks from the comfort of a wicker basket.

The balloon launch sites in London are easy to find and are all within a few miles from the Tower of London and the River Thames. Flights take place on weekday mornings, with meeting times just after dawn.

Flying over London, you can expect to see many historical landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and St. Pauls Cathedral, as well as modern creations like the London Eye, the new Centre Court at Wimbledon and the 2012 Olympic site at Stratford.

On a recent balloon flight over London, a passenger called Colin Rogal shot a video of his experience; it can be watched here.