Ask Hyde about hot air balloons
 

and what I don't know, I'll make up.

Re: Ask Hyde about hot air balloons
 

COSTELLO: Let me ask you something. What makes a balloon go up?

ABBOTT: Hot air.

COSTELLO: What's holding you down?

Re: Ask Hyde about hot air balloons
 

[ QUOTE ]
COSTELLO: Let me ask you something. What makes a balloon go up?

ABBOTT: Hot air.

COSTELLO: What's holding you down?

[/ QUOTE ]


15 years ago I was flying in Maine in unfamiliar territory, I approach a field and ask the farmer "where am I?"
He says " I've been waiting 30 years for this.....you're in a hot air balloon......"

Re: Ask Hyde about hot air balloons
 

Where do you buy hot air balloons? How much do they cost? Or do you just rent them from somewhere?

Re: Ask Hyde about hot air balloons
 

[ QUOTE ]
Where do you buy hot air balloons? How much do they cost? Or do you just rent them from somewhere?

[/ QUOTE ]

There are @10 manufacturers in the world. Three major ones. Aerostar is the most popular brand, but they have just this month decided to stop making balloon systems due to liability insurance costs.
Balloons come in diffent sizes. A new private sized balloon that can carry 2-4 passengers costs $25,000 or so. A commercial balloon often carries 6 passengers and costs about $50-60,000.
There are very large balloons, used primarily in the southwest with wide open spaces that carry up to 12 or 14 passengers. We derisively refer to them as cattle cars.
Renting is not an option.

Re: Ask Hyde about hot air balloons
 

I had an uncle (divorces happen, heh) who used to sail and do other stuff. Hot air balloon trips too.

Ok. I'm curious. Say you've got a few people, a few older kids maybe. What's a good minimum age for kids to take the trip with their parents? And are there companies that book private tours for 5-6 people for a day, for instance? And price ranges?

Re: Ask Hyde about hot air balloons
 

[ QUOTE ]
I had an uncle (divorces happen, heh) who used to sail and do other stuff. Hot air balloon trips too.

Ok. I'm curious. Say you've got a few people, a few older kids maybe. What's a good minimum age for kids to take the trip with their parents? And are there companies that book private tours for 5-6 people for a day, for instance? And price ranges?

[/ QUOTE ]

AIDS is all to common in the balloon industry. (Aviation Induced Divorce syndrome). I'm trying to recall anyone I know in the game that is still married.
I remembered one. one.

Flights costs range from $250 per person in the northeast to maybe $150 in the southwest.
I don't reccomend flight for kids under the age of 7. And even then the attention span isn't often there. "When are we going to land?" " Are we there yet?...."
Most balloon flights average an hour in the air as fuel consumption dictates duration. Most flights are early morning and occasionaly late afternoon in some areas of the couuntry, as that is when winds are calmest.

Re: Ask Hyde about hot air balloons
 

Ever been to the balloon festival in Howell, Michigan?

Re: Ask Hyde about hot air balloons
 

[ QUOTE ]
Ever been to the balloon festival in Howell, Michigan?

[/ QUOTE ]

no. I have done most of my flying in New England. Some Canada, Florida, Arizona, New York, Antigua and one trip to Albequerque for the 'big one'.

Re: Ask Hyde about hot air balloons
 

Cool. I was just wondering. It gets balloonists from all over the country. They hold it the weekend before the 4th of July and it draws tons of people. When they launch all the balloons on Sunday evening it is really something to see.