Before the looked forward to flight in a hot air balloon there are some preliminaries that must take place and you are invited to join in if you wish. The first thing is the hot air balloon has to be inflated which is a spectacular a show for the passengers as they witness the spectacular sight of the mighty hot air balloon being inflated.

Firstly the huge envelope is laid out flat and initially a large fan is put into the neck of the balloon’s envelope which begins to fill. The basket is attached and securely fixed to the ground and the burner is fixed in place. The balloon, already half filled with air from the fan is soon filled by the hot air burner and the passengers can get into the basket ready for an experience that will be remembered for years to come.

For your adventure in a balloon, whether it’s just for you or in company with 15 other people, Adventure Balloons can cater for your needs, why not a happy birthday balloon to celebrate that special day, as well as an exclusive two person balloon for when you want to experience it with a loved one, not forgetting the pilot of course.

Although the balloon season only lasts for around 7 months of the year (mid March to the end of October) there are still plenty of activities to keep us busy. All of our hot air balloons are maintenance checked and repaired if necessary to ensure safe operation, but sometimes lucky balloons and baskets get the chance to do a bit of work on the side.

Adventure Balloons was contacted be renowned music photographer Paul Heatfield who wanted to hire one of our balloon baskets to do a photo shoot for up and coming band The Leisure Society. We set about finding out what the brief was for the photo shoot and found out that the band has seven members; this was no problem as our balloon baskets can hold up to 16 passengers. We then arranged a suitable day for the band and set about finding a countryside setting with a nice blue sky.

Our balloons have also been featured in television adverts for McCains Chips (3 nuns floating over roof tops) and Sheila’s Wheel Car Insurance, with some of our balloons now contemplating a career in show business.

For more information about The Leisure Society visit www.theleisuresociety.co.uk

Hertfordshire has some of the most beautiful countryside in the UK and with Adventure Balloons your can experience it from a bird’s eye view! There are balloon launch sites located in Stevenage, Tring, Watford and Hemel Hempstead all offering superb views of the surrounding area.

The launch site will be chosen on the day of the flight and will depend on the wind speed and direction; this is to ensure that the balloon does not enter into restricted airspace surrounding Luton airport.

The balloon flight will take between 3-4 hours with approximately 1 hour of flight time. This includes the balloon launch and packing the balloon away as well as the champagne toast and certificate presentations.

Sights you might see on a Hertfordshire balloon flight include Hatfield House, Bovingdon village and WWII Airport, Mentmore park and the gridlock on the M25, all from the comfort of the wicker balloon basket.

Have you ever wanted to have a job that involves you being in the outdoors during the summer? Then why not apply to become a member of the Adventure Balloons balloon crew. With 25 years of passenger balloon flight experience, Adventure Balloons provides flights from numerous sites throughout the Home Counties and London, as well as new launch sites in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.

Because of the seasonal nature of ballooning coupled with the company expanding, there are a number of vacancies for full and part-time balloon crew members every year. This work will suit practical outdoor enthusiasts, who are physically fit and have good communication skills as you will have to liaise with both passengers and land owners.

Applicants are required to be over 25 and must have 3 years clean license, as well as experience driving minibuses, 4X4 vehicles and trailers. The ability to map read is recommended but not essential.

The balloon season usually runs from the end of March to October, but this will depend on the weather and ground conditions and there are numerous job opportunities during the season. Balloon crew job applicants must be reliable and willing to work on weekends and weekday evenings as required.

To apply to become a part of the balloon crew, send your CV to sales@adventureballoon.co.uk

As well as providing hot air balloon flights over the South East of England, this year Adventure Balloons has joined forces with Balloon Rides Ltd to offer its passengers balloon flights over Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Seeing the magnificent city of York from a unique view point has never been simpler and with the main launch site at York Racecourse you are only a couple of miles from the city centre. There are also alternative launch sites at Naburn Lock on the banks of the River Ouse and other areas surrounding the city, but all passengers will be notified of its precise location and suggested car parking facilities nearby.

Friends and family are welcome to view the balloon launch as long as they do not interfere with the balloon crew.

So why not book today and experience the historical sights of York from the comfort of a hot air balloon basket.

Taking a hot air balloon flight is a great experience and taking your own photos will help you remember the day as well as having something to show your family and friends. Adventure Balloons also offers in-flight photography that you can purchase to give you an additional view of your day.

Adventure Balloons was one of the first passenger balloon companies to offer in-flight photography for its hot air balloon flights and has one of the best selling digital SLR cameras, the Canon EOS400D which provides our passengers with the highest quality pictures.

Check out the picture below for a preview of the photography taken by our sister balloon. An in-flight photograph costs just £15 and can be ordered when you book your flight or on the day of your flight and is a great souvenir for a great experience.

Valentine’s Day will soon be here again and what better way to say I love you to someone special by booking a romantic champagne balloon flight. Each balloon flight voucher is valid for 12 months and includes the balloon flight experience with about an hour of flight time, a 20 page information pack and a certificate ceremony with champagne toast.

The whole balloon flight experience will last between 3 and 4 hours, including inflation and packing away of the balloon, an hour flight and certificate ceremony. Using Adventure Balloons date availability page means that you can check the availability of your chosen date so you can book the flight for the day that suits you best.

Balloon flight vouchers start at only £95 per person and offer breath taking views of the countryside and towns and cities; flight photography is also available so you can have a souvenir of your special day.

London is steeped in history with various historical landmarks and one of the best ways to see these is by taking our pioneering hot air balloon flight. With launch sites just a few miles from the River Thames and Tower of London, passengers can expect to see historical and modern landmarks of this great city.

Follow in the footsteps of ballooning pioneers who first flew over London over 200 years ago and capture great aerial photography from the comfort of the balloon basket.

As with every balloon flight, they require good weather to launch and due to the air traffic restrictions and the built up areas of London, these balloon flights are more susceptible to cancellation due to the wind speed and direction.

London balloon flights are available on weekday mornings from April to August and you will spend approximately 1 hour in the sky. Taking a London hot air balloon flight will give you a unique perspective on this spectacular city and will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Balloon Rides Ltd has joined forces with Adventure Balloons to provide customers with even more locations to take their hot air balloon flights from. Customers can now choose to fly from all over the South East of England as well as locations in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Yorkshire balloon flights take off from either York Racecourse or from the banks of the River Ouse and offer passengers a great view of the historic city of York including landmarks such as the magnificent York Minster and the National Railway Museum.

Lincolnshire launch sites include sites near Grantham, Rutland Water and Stamford and give passengers a great view of historical attractions, town and villages that cover the Lincolnshire countryside.

So, whether you want to fly over London or Oxford, or fancy a hot air balloon flight over Yorkshire or Lincolnshire you can with Adventure Balloons and Balloon Rides Ltd.

Sine 2008 Adventure Balloons has been offering balloon flights over Kent, Sussex and Essex, which has proved very popular with our customers.

Balloon flight locations in Kent take off from the Hop Farm Country Park close to Tunbridge Wells, but there are also a back up sites in Lamberhurst Vineyard and Bewl Water. The launch site will be chosen depending on the wind direction and speed on the flight day. Kent, also known as the ‘Garden of England’ has some of the best countryside in the UK, with rolling hills, vineyards and Oast Houses used for the local ale industry.

Sussex Balloon flights launch from the wonderful grounds of Buxted Park, where passengers will be able to see the South Coast and the stunning countryside Sussex has to offer.

Balloon launch sites in Essex have been specially chosen to avoid the restricted airspace surrounding Stansted Airport and to provide the best views of Essex. The sites are located in Kelvedon, Billericay, Braintree, Brentwood and Chelmsford and all offer fantastic views and ample opportunities for some spectacular aerial photography.