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

Due to the improvements in balloon manufacture it is now easier than ever to own your own hot air balloon. Computer Aided Design (CAD) and computer controlled machines has made ballooning affordable and not just reserved for commercial use.

A hot air balloon can come in a range of sizes and colours from simple standard balloon styles to complex shapes used for advertising purposes. To make a hot air balloon the initial design is modelled on a computer to check that it will fit neatly together and that the customer is happy with it.

Once the design has been approved it is then transferred to the big cutting tables; these are controlled by a computer to ensure that all the pieces will fit together. The balloons shape is cut out of a special non-rip material consisting of nylon for the main body of the balloon and a material called Hyperlast for the top of the balloon.

The newly cut out pieces are then stitched together using specially designed sewing machines; these use a unique stitch which is very strong and durable and the whole balloon is sent to be tested before final assembly.

Once the balloon passes its final inspection it is fitted with the all the fixings for the balloon basket or harness if it is a one man/hopper balloon and sent to the customer for its first flight.

Adventure Balloons has come a long way since it first took to the skies in 1985, and has become one of the largest passenger balloon companies in the UK. It now operates eight hot air balloons, ranging from exclusive 2 person flights to large 16 passenger balloons and offers balloon flights throughout the South East of England including Kent, Essex, Hampshire, Oxford and London.

The unique ‘stained glass window’ effect balloons have become so popular that Adventure Balloons now use the design for their logo and it adorns their balloon flight memorabilia such as t-shirts, mugs and hats.

As demand for balloon flights grew over the last 20+ years, Adventure Balloons have been working closely with balloon manufacturers to improve the safety and enjoyment for it passengers; this includes partitions in the balloon baskets to separate the fuel and pilot from the passengers and ensuring that the pilot is in the best position to land the balloon safely.

With more than 24 years of experience and offering over 18 different launch sites throughout the South East, Adventure Balloons can make your hot air balloon experience a great one!

With the summer holidays fast approaching, you are bound to hear the immortal words “I’m Bored” from your children. Why not treat them to the unique experience of a hot air balloon flight; not only a fantastic family day out, but a fascinating story to tell when they are back to school.

The minimum age to take a balloon flight is 8 years old, and all children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Because the sides of the balloon basket are quite high the minimum height we can accept is 1.4 meters or 4 foot 6 inches.

As well as an hour of flight time, passengers are encouraged to help in the preparation and deflation of the balloon if they want to and spectators are also welcomed, providing that they do not impede the balloons launch.

After the balloon flight there will be a certificate ceremony where every passenger will receive a certificate signed by the pilot and a champagne toast (adults only).

Taking a balloon flight with your loved ones is a great experience and an ideal introduction to ballooning, and who knows, they might like it so much that they want to come back again and again.

With over 25 years of hot air balloon experience, and the growing number of people interested is flying in a hot air balloon, Adventure Balloons has been adding more balloons and baskets to its fleet over the past few years.

Adventure Balloons now has over eight hot air balloons, providing flights over the Home Counties and London, coupled with two Happy Birthday balloons for that special day. All of the balloons encompass our recognisable stained glass effect envelopes, and working closely with leading balloon manufacturer Lindstrand Balloons has meant that we have been able to develop new and innovative features in their design.

Lindstrand Balloons also manufacturers our balloon baskets, which include capacities between 4 and 16 passengers each. All of our balloon baskets have advanced safety features to ensure that the passengers and pilots have a safe and enjoyable flight.

Check out our locations page to see where we fly our hot air balloon from.

A hot air balloon works on the principle that hot air rises and is made up of three main parts; the balloon envelope (the fabric Balloon that holds the hot air), the balloon burners (that push hot air into the envelope) and the balloon basket, which carries the pilot and passengers as well as the propane gas for the burners.

Piloting a hot air balloon is fairly simple; to make the balloon rise, the pilot will fire the balloons burners; this pushes hot air into the envelope and gives the balloon lift. The more hot air is pushed into the balloon envelope, the quicker the balloon rises.

To make the balloon descend, the pilot will use the balloons burners less, cooling the air inside the balloon and causing it to descend. Alternatively, if the pilot wants a quicker descent, they will use the Parachute Valve; this is situated at the top of the balloon, and is connected by a long cord to the balloons basket. Pulling the cord opens the valve, which lets the hot air out of the top and the balloon descends quicker.

Navigating a hot air balloon is a little more difficult, as the balloon is not steered directly by the pilot. The winds direction changes at different altitudes, so the pilot must ascend and descend to the right altitude and travel with the wind.

Anyone who has had the pleasure of flying in a hot air balloon, or has seen them floating on the horizon will know that their large dome like structures are both spectacular and magical. The hot air balloon works on the theory that hot air rises, so when the balloon is filled with hot air it produces less mass, lifting it high up into the sky.

There are three basic parts to a hot air balloon, the actual balloon (which is referred to as the envelope), the balloon burners and the balloon basket.

The envelope is the biggest part of the balloon and has to be so large so that it can generate enough lift to carry both the pilot and the passengers.

The balloon burners produce the warm air to heat the inside of the envelope. The burners use propane gas as it is a lot safer and more fuel efficient than alternative gases.

The basket carries the pilot, gas canisters and the passengers and is usually woven from a strong and durable cane. The balloon basket is available in many different sizes, from small and intimate 3 passenger baskets up to larger 20 people baskets for communal flights.

The basket is situated at the bottom of the hot air balloon and carries both the pilot and the passengers. As well as carrying people, the balloon basket also has storage space for the gas cylinders that power the balloon burners, generating lift for the balloon.

The balloon basket comes in various different sizes and shapes, from baskets holding 2 to 3 people for a more intimate flight up to large 20 people baskets for groups and parties. The balloon basket is still made in the traditional way; the basket is woven using Kooboo and Palambang cane.

This not only makes the balloon basket look aesthetically pleasing, it also makes the basket extremely strong, with the added bonus of it being lightweight as well. The elasticity of the cane helps to absorb most of the energy produced when the hot air balloon is landing.

Before you can join a hot air balloon crew, you must first know about what the various tasks involve. The balloon pilot will normally decide which people will do certain jobs, as some tasks may involve heavy lifting and require a strong person.

The crown line – This person will act as an anchor and stabilize the balloon envelope during inflation. The pilot will usually choose a large and strong person for this job. The crown line individual will use the rope and keep pressure on the balloon as it inflates, until the pilot tells them to come in. The crown line is then given to the pilot and they connect it to the baskets upright.

The throat – This usually consists of two or more crew members that hold the mouth of the balloon open as the fan fills it with cold air. Once the envelope is full with cold air they will then turn the burners on to heat the balloon. The crew members will hold the mouth open till the balloon starts to come upright and places weight on the basket as it stands up.

The Chase Crew – Once the Hot Air Balloon is airborne the chase crew will load up all of the remaining items left at the launch site and then chase the balloon. The driver of the chase vehicle will receive directions from the other crew members and tries to stay ahead of the balloon to assist the pilot on landing.

The Balloon Landing – When the pilot radio’s that they are going to land the balloon crew should be ready to assist. One member will try to locate the landowner and ask their permission to land. When the balloon comes into land the crew positions themselves to the side of the basket, and when it hits the ground they jump on and their added weight stops the balloon. All of the air is expelled from the envelope and all of the items are loaded back into the chase vehicle.

Once this has been completed, champagne and soft drinks are shared with the pilot, passengers, balloon crew and landowner to thank them for helping.

During the winter months the good old British weather is not really suited to hot air balloon flights, so we try to use our balloons and baskets in a more innovative way. Our exclusive Happy Birthday Balloon has a small basket that takes up to 4 people and is often used in film and advertising work.

The latest project we have been involved with is the new McCain’s television advert for their Homefries chips. The basket, which features near the end of the advert, has three singing nuns one of them holding a bowl of Homefries chips.

All the roof top footage was shot in a large West London studio with lots of extravagantly painted landscapes and scenery, and of course a few green screens used for superimposing. The balloon basket was suspended from a crane, not the way we like to do it, we prefer a balloon but we’ll let them off.