Hot Air Balloon Ride Tips

Is this your first time going on a hot air balloon ride? Or just looking for more information to help you prepare for your ride? Continue reading for a list of items to bring, clothing you should wear, the flying process, and more!

What clothing should you wear?

Sneakers with high socks or high boots: This will protect your feet from grass burns on the field we usually land in.
Flexible pants or shorts: To get into the basket, you will have to climb in and out. Because of this, it is important that you wear clothing that allows you to bend and flex.
Sun hat or baseball cap: This will protect you from the sun’s harmful rays but primarily the burner. The burner uses propane tanks to propel heat into the balloon, and since it is an open flame, it tends to be quite hot.
Layered Clothing: This is mainly for winter climates, but it will get slightly colder as we go higher during the hot air balloon ride. This is usually the case with any summer or desert climate like Phoenix, where Firebird Balloons is based.

What to bring with you?

All you need to bring to enjoy the experience of the hot air balloon ride is yourself. However, these will come in handy as well:

Sunglasses
Empty Bladder
Courage

Begin your adventure in the air!

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The Hot Air Balloon Process – Before and Launch

Before

Once you meet your crew and pilot, you will head out to the launch site. Be sure to arrive on time so the launch is not delayed and you don’t ruin the experience for everyone else. Arriving on time ensures you get the full flight time experience. Booking a shared flight means you will share a ride with other passengers who, in most cases, have made friendships this way. Private flights, on the other hand, are whoever is with you and the pilot and crew.

There are no bathrooms 5,000 feet in the sky, so make sure to use the restroom before getting into the balloon.

Launch Process

Before launching, the hot air balloon is laid so the wind helps inflate the balloon. When the balloon is ready to inflate, an inflation fan will force air into the balloon. This requires two people to help hold the balloon open. Anyone holding cables must listen to the pilot to ensure a safe flight for everyone.

Once the air has filled up the balloon, the pilot will light the burner to bring the balloon upright. After that, we will climb into the balloon gondola, which is the basket you will sit in during the hot air balloon ride.

In the Hot Air Balloon

Most riders don’t realize how calm and beautiful the hot air balloon ride and experience can be. Since we are one with the wind, floating through the air at different altitudes, you only feel air when the balloon changes altitudes or the natural wind speed changes. The atmosphere during a hot air balloon ride creates the perfect place to get engaged. Watch a marriage proposal that happened during one of our flights:

Hot Air Balloon Landing

Landing is the most exciting part of the hot air balloon ride. Our experienced pilot will look for a landing site based on the geography of the land and the time of day. The landing we get depends on the wind speed and terrain.

Types of Landings

Calm winds mean there is a chance for the hot air balloon to rest on the ground with little to no impact. Which is called a “stand-up landing.”

Moderate winds are where the fun is, and your pilot may tell you to crouch down. He’ll then instruct you to turn sideways from the ground and ask you to bend your knees slightly to help absorb the impact.

The balloon may be pulled and turned sideways with moderate and any wind speed faster. The gondola can help you brace and keep any injuries from happening.

When the balloon has come to a stop, if it is upright, the pilot will tell passengers to wait until some of the hot air is released. Letting hot air release from the balloon ensures the balloon doesn’t take off again when you try to get off. If the balloon lands sideways, the balloon will be deflated hastily, and you can climb out of the basket.

Have any questions about our hot air balloon ride tips? Please contact us, and we will help answer any questions you might have!