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Frequently Asked Questions |
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Q: IS HOT AIR BALLOONING SAFE?
A: Absolutely! Hot Air Ballooning is considered one of the safest forms of aviation. This is due to the training and experience of our pilots, maintenance of our equipment and the fact that we will only fly passengers in perfect ballooning weather conditions. Our Pilots have flown over 20,000 passengers accident free.
Q: WHAT KIND OF WEATHER IS NEEDED?
A: To ensure a safe flight, we require light winds (both on the surface and at altitude), good visibility and no risk of precipitation or thunderstorms.
Q: I AM SCARED OF HEIGHTS AND SOMETIMES GET MOTION SICKNESS, CAN I STILL FLY?
A: Definitely! Ballooning offers a unique experience. There is no feeling of movement or sensation of height. It feels as though you are on a stationary platform and that the world is coming to you. If you hold a candle in your hand as you fly, it will not flicker. Many of our passengers have told us that they are unable to stand on a balcony but did not have any problems being in the balloon.
Q: CAN YOU STEER A BALLOON?
A: There is no device with which to steer, but our highly skilled and professional Pilots are remarkably adept at using the variation in the wind direction at different altitudes to frequently direct their balloons.
Q: HOW FAST DO BALLOONS FLY?
A: The balloon travels with the speed of the wind. No flights will be launched if it appears that we will exceed 15 km/hr upon landing. 10 km/hr is an ideal speed; one walks at 5 km/hr.
Q: IS IT COLD IN THE BASKET?
A: Since we fly with the wind, there is no wind chill. In addition, the heat from the burners radiate down to the basket. It is not uncommon for it to be 10 degrees warmer in the balloon than on the ground.
Q: HOW HIGH DO WE FLY?
A: In general, we prefer to fly close to the ground at altitudes where you can appreciate the contours of the earth. We fly approximately 1,000 feet over built-up areas, and if conditions permit, will come down low enough to touch the tops of the trees over the countryside.
Q: WHAT KIND OF TRAINING DO BALLOONS PILOTS HAVE?
A: All Pilots are required to hold a valid license issued by Transport Canada. Our Pilots are additionally required to have high hour experience flying commercial balloons.
Q: HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN GO IN THE BALLOON?
A: Although our baskets can accommodate up to four passengers, our lifting capacity is based on weight. Therefore the combined weight per group of two passengers cannot exceed 375 lbs. and the maximum weight per individual passenger cannot exceed 265 lbs.
Q: IS AGE OR HEALTH A CONCERN?
A: Yes. We unfortunately cannot accept passengers less than ten years of age, pregnant women, or those with extreme heart, back or health problems. Our most mature passenger was ninety-nine.
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