top of page
Creating A Positive Scheduling Experience               

Scheduling your Air Adventure Aloft is meant to be a positive experience.  As a company, we are not only in the Hot Air Balloon business, but in the people business.  Providing a ride on one of our Hot Air Balloons offers some unique challenges.  Namely dealing with several factors which include Mother Nature and ensuring all of our customers are treated in a manner which builds a positive recommendation along with your lifetime memory.  In addition the paramount theme must be Safety.  We hope you agree, you would not want it any other way!

Mother Nature - Weather Concerns

Balloon flights are always weather permitting.  For us to launch and fly, winds are the number one consideration.  Not only surface winds, but winds within the first thousand feet above the ground.  In addition, cloud ceilings and visibility are a consideration. A strong high pressure day is what we are looking for.  If you watch the local news, look for a weather map where they show a nice blue H over our region.

 

Surface winds must remain less than 10 mph for the entire forecast flight window.  Winds aloft can exceed this speed, however there are conditions which can be forecasted where excessive winds aloft speed prohibit passenger operations.  We can forecast flyable weather windows in which we can be fairly assured that winds will be conducive for safe flight conditions. 

 

We are not like the mail service.  We do not fly in rain, sleet or snow.  It can be cloudy but the ceiling must be at least 3,000 feet and visibility greater than 2 miles.  Fog that is forecast to burn off very quickly after sunrise generally allows us to at least meet and prepare to fly.  If the forecast holds true, no cancelation is needed.

 

Weather windows can be forecasted 5-7 days in advance and they become even more reliable within 48 and 24 hours.  We make every effort to communicate with scheduled passengers 24, 48 and 96 hours in advance of their flight concerning forecast conditions.

 

 

Shared Flights vs Private Flights
How to Schedule

Other Scheduling factors involve Shared Flights versus Private Flights.  Most of our customers purchase "Standard Balloon Flights".  These flights involve scheduling for balloon capacity.  Think of it as available seats or basket space.  With the exception of "Private Flights", a standard or shared flight involves a minimum of four passengers.  The majority of our customers purchase two passenger bookings.  The economics of our pricing is set on putting a minimum of four people together.

 

Private flights are available and ensures those customers do not share the basket with anyone except the pilot. 

 

In order to upgrade your flight to a Private Flight, please feel free to contact us to discuss options.

bottom of page