Here at Adventure Balloons we get asked a lot of questions, so we thought we would answer a few of them.

What do I wear? - This is the most common question. You should wear sensible outdoor clothing and wear no loose jewellery, with either hiking boots or wellingtons as the fields may be damp. Also a hat would be handy to protect you from the heat of the burners.

Is there an age limit? – No, but riding in a Hot Air Balloon is a type of outdoor sport, so requires some degree of fitness. You must be able to climb in and out of the basket and will be required to stand for about an hour. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult and it is recommended that their height be over 4’6” to be able to see over the side of the basket.

What time of day do we meet? – Adventure Balloons fly in the early mornings or evenings and times vary due to the sunrise and sunset. Normally throughout May, meeting times are 6am for morning rides and 6pm for evening rides.

What is good ballooning weather? – For a successful balloon ride the weather must have light winds, no rain and good visibility. If a balloon flight is cancelled due to bad weather, it will be rescheduled to suit your timetable.

How do I book my balloon flight? – If you own a credit or debit card you can order your flight online, but we also take bookings by fax and telephone. If you would prefer to pay for it by cheque, you can print out a booking form and send it to us. Gift vouches can be purchased at anytime through the Adventure Balloons website.

With over 20 years experience in passenger balloon flights, Adventure Balloons is now one of the biggest companies offering hot air balloon rides in the UK. The company was founded in April 1985, when there were few companies offering balloon rides in the UK.

Demand quickly grew and by 1988 they purchased a four passenger balloon, followed by several others. Adventure Balloons now operate seven hot air balloons, which can hold between four and sixteen passengers.

The sixteen passenger balloon, which was purchased from two millionaires who used it for travelling across the North Sea, was the first hot air balloon of this size to be allowed to fly in the UK by the Civil Aviation Authority.

As demand for their balloon rides grew, Adventure Balloons joined forces with renowned balloon maker Lindstrand and developed new ways to improve both passenger and pilot safety.

As Adventure Balloons flights have increased, so have the number of launch sites and they now offer flights from several locations situated in the Home Countries including; Kent, Berkshire, Surrey and Oxford and are also one of only a couple of companies that offer flights over London.

Before you are taken high above the English countryside on you’re hot air balloon ride, you will be invited to take part in the pre-flight preparation of the balloon. Although nothing can beat the experience of majestically flying above the beautiful landscape, the balloons preparation can be an impressive show for both passengers and spectators.

You can watch as the balloons envelope is taken out of its relatively small bag, laid out at the launch site and inflated into its massive dome like structure, which happens quicker than you can imagine. Once the balloon is inflated enough the basket is attached and the burners fitted. It is then only a matter of minutes until you are experiencing the unique and spectacular activity of ballooning.

The preparation of the hot air balloon takes about an hour, with a similar time to pack it away after flight. The balloon flight usually lasts for about an hour, so you should allow 3 to 4 hours for the whole experience.

It wasn’t until 1978 when the Atlantic was finally crossed in a hot air balloon. Three people piloted the balloon, Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman and flew 3,120 miles in 137 hours. The balloon was called the Double Eagle II and has now become a part of balloon history.

All three pilots had several years of aviation experience between them, including hot air balloons, airplanes and gliders. Abruzzo and Anderson had attempted the Atlantic crossing the year before in 1977 but failed as the balloon crashed into the sea off the coast of Iceland.

The balloon launched on the 11th August 1978 from Presque Isle an Maine, and the first 5 days went as planned. On the sixth day the atmospheric conditions caused the balloon to drop 19,500 feet to its lowest point of just above 4,000 feet, which is known as the Big Drop. Luckily the sun heated the envelope and the balloon was able to rise to a safe level.

Once they had passed Iceland they knew that they had done it, and on getting to France started their decent. A transcontinental balloon had never landed on dry land before and upon landing the pilots had made balloon history.

New for 2008, Adventure Balloons now offer their passengers balloon rides in the counties of Kent, Sussex and Essex.

The launch site in Kent is at The Hop Farm Country Park near Tunbridge Wells, home to impressive Oast Houses which were used in the local brewing industry. Normally referred to as “The Garden of England”, Kent boasts wonderful rural views.

Balloon rides over Sussex will be made from the beautiful grounds of Buxted Park. The park boasts over 312 acres of National Parkland roamed by deer and divided by the River Uck, passengers will often be able to see the South Coast as well as having a birds-eye view of Sussex.

Balloon Flights in Essex will use various launch sites located throughout the county including Chelmsford, Colchester and Brentwood. These sites have been specially chosen to avoid areas of controlled airspace such as airports and offer the spectacular scenery that the Essex countryside has to offer.

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.

Adventure Balloon’s very own director, Kim Hull got to have a bit of the lime-light, as he was interviewed by Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2. With over 25 years of experience in piloting hot air balloons, Kim was invited to talk on BBC Radio 2 as part of their “High Flying Jobs” series of interviews on Chris Evans drive time show.

During the interview Chris becomes very excited about ballooning, even asking how long it takes to become a pilot and how much a hot air balloon costs. Could we be seeing a Chris Evans branded balloon over the Surrey countryside in the near future? Only time will tell.

To listen to the interview click here or go to the news page on the Adventure Balloons website.

Are you looking for a unique and different present for a partner or loved one? Make a distinctive gesture with one of our eVouchers or balloon flights. With 10 sites around London and the Home Counties, this gives you a varied choice of the unbelievable countryside on offer.

Most of the launch sites are town parks that are exclusive to Adventure Balloons, and are ideal for friends and family to come and wave you off. Each site gives passengers both town and countryside views during the flight and offer numerous opportunities to get some great aerial photographs.

Don’t delay book your flight for someone special today.

Hot air balloons have been used to advertise and promote thousands of products and services over the years, and are becoming an excellent addition to existing marketing campaigns. A hot air balloon not only attracts interest it also holds the attention of spectators. In addition to the six million people attending various ballooning events nationwide, the balloon will also carry the advert over the surrounding population, increasing the exposure even more.

With the introduction of computer aided design it has become easier and to create complex balloon shapes. These one-of-a-kind balloons are very cost effective and often have an impact that conventional advertising methods lack.

Ballooning is becoming more and more popular for corporate weekends and hospitality. Adventure Balloons are experts in this field, and combined with their 16 passenger basket offer a great day out for your employees or potential customers. For further information on exclusive flights or balloon sponsorship to raise your company’s profile click here.

Before a successful hot air balloon flight can begin, the pilot must first check the weather and find a suitable take-off point. The weather must have sufficient visibility for the pilot to see and wind speeds should not exceed 10mph to allow for safe take-off and landings. To check wind speeds at a given location the pilot will send up a balloon called a Met-balloon or Pibal, this gives instant information about what the wind is actually doing.

Next the balloon is unpacked and the burner and basket attached. The envelope (balloon) is then filled with cold air that partially inflates the balloon and gives it, its basic shape. Once the shape of the balloon has been established the burner is used to heat the air inside. When the balloon is upright, the pilot and passengers climb into the basket and the flight can begin by directing more heat into the envelope.