Fantasy Balloons Flight Adventures

Your balloon adventure is designed to allow you to fully experience hot air balloons.  You will be involved from start to finish, working along with the trained balloon crew to lay out the balloon, get it inflated, and fly away.  When your flight is over you can again work with the crew to pack up the balloon.

Most people are a little intimidated by the process of getting a huge balloon ready to fly.  But ... with a little coaching from the regular crew, you can be a valuable member of the team in a very short time!  And, it's fun!

What do I wear?

Your wardrobe for your flight in the balloon will be much the same as the crew wears.  The most important thing is to dress so that you will be comfortable in the weather, and wear shoes that will give your feet some protection from weeds and uneven ground.  The most common things to wear are jeans and tennis shoes, and layer your clothes.  While you may be very comfortable at sunrise in a heavy jacket and warm gloves, that may not be the case two hours later.

How do I join a hot air balloon crew?

The balloon crew is usually all volunteers, who enjoy doing something unusual and challenging.  The team spirit of hot air balloon crews is remarkable to see.  Each person learns to do every task needed to get the balloon up in the air, and most take pride in the number of tasks that have been mastered.  The Balloon Federation of America has a course of self study that a crew person can do, having the pilot sign off each task as it is accomplished.

Balloon crew members often get first exposure to hot air ballooning when they take their first ride. Many passengers come back to join the crew. It is even common for a passenger to be so enthralled by the experience that he or she becomes a balloon pilot.

To join a balloon crew, all you have to do is show up at the balloon launch site, and say that you want to help.  You will be instantly "adopted" !  (When you come out the first time, you can look like a pro if you bring a hat, sunglasses and clean work gloves.)

The Fantasy Balloons hot air adventure usually lasts about 3-4 hours.  We begin at around sunrise, and are finished after the champagne toast to celebrate your new experience!

The balloon crew members holding open the "mouth" of the balloon to let a fan fill the balloon with cold air. How long does it take to put in 105,000 cubic feet of air?

This view is the inside of the  balloon as it fills with cold air

The balloon is almost full --if you are holding the mouth open, and you look inside, this is what you see. The top of the balloon is at the back of the picture.

The pilot uses the propane burner to heat the air inside the balloon, making it expand.  The balloon then lifts off the ground.

The pilot does the final check of the equipment and gives the ground crew instructions.