Most people are unable to commit to the hot air ballooning experience until they’ve had their minds put at ease and until they have the answers to their questions. Taking a trip into the sky by a giant balloon would of course spark a natural curiosity; many people have so many questions and have no idea how to prepare for their adventure. So here are a few of the most frequently asked questions and their answers to give you a better understanding of what to expect.

What am I meant to wear on the day?

It is recommended that you dress for the outdoors, because let’s face it; you’re going to be up in the sky in a basket! Please refrain from wearing skirts, shorts or synthetic fibres such as nylon and also avoid wearing loose jewellery. You will be traipsing across fields, so do wear suitable footwear for the possible muddy ground! It is also advisable that you wear a hat to protect your head from the heat of the burners.

Am I too old to fly/Is my child to young to fly?

You will be happy to hear that there is no upper age limit to these flights. All we ask is that you are fit and able for what is involved. You will need to be able to climb in and out of the basket which stands at approximately 1.1 metres tall. All passengers below the age of 16 will need to be accompanied by an adult, and children younger than 8 or below the height of 1.4 metres will not be able to fly.

Please also note that passengers weighing over 18 stone or 114kg will not be able to fly for safety reasons.

Can we pick the time of the flight?

The simple answer to this question is no. Balloon flights take place either during the early morning or the evening. These times will normally depend on the sunrise or sunset and so the times can vary during the course of the year. Normally however, flights commence at approximately 6am or 6pm.

How much notice do I have to give to book?

Worry not. You can book your flight dates either on our date availability page or by calling our office on 01252 844222 and you will find dates available almost immediately and those practically a year off! You can purchase a gift voucher at any time with flights commencing during March or April and running through until the end of October (or sometimes longer depending on the area).

How do I book?

It couldn’t be simpler; you can either order a gift voucher on our bookings page, where you will be sent your voucher pack instantly by e-mail or by post, or you can telephone us on 01252 844222 to make a booking ‘in person’ so to speak.

Your pack will include a colour gift voucher, brochure and our 20 page map pack which includes launch site details, check in times and plenty more practical information about the flight so that you can focus on getting excited!

Have you ever heard of Cloud Hoppers?  If you are a hot air balloon enthusiast and want to fly solo, using a Cloud Hopper could be the ideal way of achieving this.  But what exactly is a Cloud Hopper?  

A Cloud Hopper is a one-person hot air balloon where the pilot sits in a small seat or is strapped into a harness.  Behind the pilot’s back, there will usually be a propane gas tank and the burner is situated on a frame above the head of the pilot.  Often, the burner, tank and pilot are able to rotate independently of the balloon envelope, allowing 360 degree rotation to view the landscape and to allow the pilot to prepare for landing.

Using a Cloud Hopper is an ideal way to begin ballooning as a hobby.  They are smaller than standard hot air balloons and baskets are not used, therefore allowing easier transportation and quicker inflation.  They are also cheaper to buy and run than standard hot air balloons.  Some balloonists even make their own one-man balloons!  The average time that a Cloud Hopper can travel for is about one and a half hours but this will be dependent on wind and weather conditions.

Back in 1987, just before Adventure Balloons became the major hot air balloon operator in the London area, Kim Hull would get a call from time to time from Mike Hendrick of the then named Virgin Airship and Balloon Company.  Kim would be asked to attend balloon events such as the Bristol Balloon Fiesta and fly a one-man balloon.  Sometimes, Kim would attempt to stack one hopper on top of the other, with other one-man balloonists.  The eventual record was five.  Do you think you can do better?

If you are interested in flying solo, there are various balloon clubs where you can meet like-minded balloon enthusiasts and discover a whole new way of taking to the skies. 

Cloudhoppers have become increasingly popular over the past few years and are primarily used by balloonists and hobbyists who want to experience the delights of ballooning without spending a fortune.

A cloudhopper is a term used to describe a solo balloon that has either a seat or harness for the pilot to sit in; they are often a lot smaller than passenger or commercial balloons and therefore can be launched with just one person, adding to their appeal.

As with standard hot air balloons, cloudhoppers use balloon burners and propane tanks to ascend into the sky, with the propane tanks situated behind the pilot thus leaving his sight unobstructed. The balloons seat or harness can normally rotate independently, making it easy to navigate and land.

Cloudhoppers and solo balloons are the cheapest way to get into ballooning and there are now various clubs all over the world who have regular balloon meets where you can meet like minded people and swap tips and techniques.

Hot air ballooning has become a popular hobby over the past few decades, with people from various different backgrounds and cultures congregating at balloon meets and festivals throughout the world. This resurgence of ballooning is largely due to the accessibility and price of the hot air balloons, which have come down in price dramatically since the introduction of new manufacturing processes and a more competitive market.

Many hobby balloonists use either a one man balloon or hopper balloon, as there is no need to have a balloon crew to help inflate and launch the balloon. These one man balloons usually have a seat and harness that the pilot is strapped to instead of a balloon basket, and the propane tanks are fitted to the seats frame directly behind the pilot. This gives the pilot full control of the balloon, while giving a sense of freedom as they can see everything around them.

A one man or hopper balloon has low maintenance costs and is an ideal introduction to ballooning, with many of today’s commercial hot air balloon pilots having started off in one. Although one man and hopper balloons are usually flow for recreational purposes, there are various competitions and festivals throughout the year in which to participate.

Some companies even use one man balloons and cloud hoppers as a form of advertising, because of the reduced cost and maintenance of running one, and the fact that it can be launched quicker and easier than standard balloons.

Ballooning has often been associated with the upper class since the first manned balloon flights over 200 years ago, but over the past 30 years, mainly due to the accessibility and the price it has become a popular hobby for many people from all sorts of backgrounds and cultures.

One man balloons and Hopper balloons are popular amongst many balloonists, as there is no crew to assemble and the majority of the launching and landing procedures can be done with only one person. A one man balloon also gives people more of a sense of freedom because instead of a balloon basket, the pilot is strapped into a seat or harness, meaning that they can see everything as if they are floating in the sky.

Although a vast majority of one man balloonists only use their balloons at the weekend or during holidays, there are various one man balloon festivals throughout the year, where groups of balloonists can meet and fly with other like minded individuals, as well as showing their balloons to the public.

Due to the low maintenance and accessibility of one man balloons and Hoppers, they are a great introduction to the world of ballooning, with many of today’s passenger balloon pilots starting off with a one man balloon.

The term Cloudhopper is often used to describe a one-person hot air balloon, which has a harness or seat as opposed to a balloon basket. The Cloudhopper name was originally trademarked by Colt Balloons in 1979 and is now owned by the Lindstrand Balloon Company, but many people still refer to one-person balloons as Cloudhoppers even if they are manufactured by a different company.

A one-person hot air balloon has the propane tank attached to the harness or seat, behind the pilots back and the balloons burner is often attached to a frame above the pilots head. The harness or seat can usually rotate independently from the balloon envelope, making it easier for the pilot to navigate and land the balloon.

A Cloudhopper or one-person hot air balloon is one of the cheapest ways to get into ballooning and has gained in popularity dramatically over the past few decades, with many balloon enthusiasts opting to build there own.

Hot air ballooning as a hobby, has grown very popular over the past few years and because of advances in technology and materials, ballooning has become even cheaper and safer than ever before.

One of the most common hot air balloons used by hobbyists are one-man balloons, because they are small, light and cheaper to run. Also called cloudhoppers or hopper balloons, a one-man balloon as the name suggests holds one person, but instead of a balloon basket, the pilot is strapped into a harness that has a propane tank attached to it.

One-man balloons are usually much smaller than passenger balloons, ranging between 14,000 and 35,000 cubic feet in size, and the average time it can fly for can be up to 1.5 hours, depending on the weather and wind conditions.

Ideal for the hobbyist or professional balloonist, the one-man balloon is generally flown for recreational purposes, but many companies are now turning to them to provide a unique advertising platform, which is both cheaper to run and quicker to launch than a standard balloon.

Hot air ballooning has become very popular over the past three decades, and is now not only reserved for commercial use, but are accessible to hobbyists and companies looking for unique advertising platforms too.

This new found popularity is not just down to the truly remarkable experience of floating high above the ground, it is also due to the price dramatically falling, as the introduction of new technologies such as computer aided design and new materials cut manufacturing costs.

There are various sizes and shapes of hot air balloon from one man and hopper balloons, to commercial passenger balloons and even specially shaped balloons for advertising. The process of making a hot air balloon starts with the initial design.

The design is first created on a computer with special software, printed out and sent to the customer for approval. Once approved, the design is transferred to the computer controlled cutting table, where the design is cut out of special non-rip material.

The cut-out design is then sewn together using specially designed sewing machines that use unique stitches, which provide strength and durability as well as stability to the structure. The balloon or envelope as it is known in the business is then sent for final assembly, where the envelope is rigorously tested.

Once the balloon envelope has passed all of the safety and strength tests, it is sent to the customer and ready to take its maiden flight.

A one-man balloon or hopper balloon as they are commonly known are small hot air balloons that usually hold one person in a seat and harness similar to a parachute harness. The hopper balloon is typically flown for recreational purposes, but some companies use them for advertising as they are quicker to launch and cheaper to run than conventional hot air balloons.

Hopper balloons are generally smaller than commercial hot air balloons and range from 14,000 to 35,000 cubic feet. These balloons normally have a flight time of around 1.5 hours, though this depends and the weather conditions.

The hoppers seat has a steel frame around it where the propane tank is fitted; the burner is also located on the frame above the pilots head. The burner works in the same way as a commercial balloon, with the controls mounted on the bottom of the burner. The seat, harness and frame can be moved independently of the balloons envelope; this allows the pilot to swivel to any direction they need, to aid in flying and landing of the hot air balloon.