Hot Air Balloon Flight - Shared in Las Vegas, NV

What do I need to bring?
Bring cameras and comfortable clothing.

What is the balloon made of?
Hot air balloons are made of a polyester or nylon material.

What kind of fuel is used?
Propane is the fuel used for flying hot-air balloons. Therefore, due to the flammable nature of propane, smoking is never allowed during your ballooning experience.

What altitude will we reach?
We will fly anywhere from tree-top level to several thousand feet.

Where will we land?
We land where the wind takes us. Your pilot controls the balloon by going to different altitudes to catch different winds, but ultimately Mother Nature decides where we will land.

How long will the flight last?
Flights are 45 minutes to an hour. Your total experience will take approximately three to four hours.

What time do we meet?
Morning flights meet a half an hour before sunrise. Afternoon flights meet approximately 1:30 pm.

What time are flights scheduled?
Flights are scheduled at sunrise because that is when it is the coolest and the winds are the calmest. We offer afternoon flights during cooler months: November 1st thru February 28th.

What’s included with the flight?
All flights are 45 minutes to an hour. At the end of the flight, all passengers receive a personalized Photo souvenir flight certificate. Also, each flight concludes with sparkling toast.

Where do we fly from?
We have several launch sites in the Las Vegas area. We will let you know the meeting location when you check in the night before.

Can I bring a camera?
Absolutely. Try to have a wrist or neck strap available. Ballooning is the ultimate photographic opportunity.

Is my fear of heights a problem?
Ballooning is much different from standing on a ladder or high building. The basket sides are high enough to give a feeling of security. Everyone who has expressed a fear of heights before the flight says they became so distracted by the sheer beauty and thrill of flying that the fear went away.

When do you fly and for how long?
Balloons can only fly at sunrise when the winds are light. Flights normally last 45 – 60 minutes but can be shortened or lengthened by conditions. Plan on a total of 3.5 – 4 hours for the total excursion.

How do we get back to our cars?
The pilot is radio contact with our “chase vehicle”. Our crew will meet us at our landing site. After packing up the balloon and our customary champagne toast, we will drive you back to our launch site. Your friends and family are also welcome to join in the balloon “chase”.

What weather conditions do we need?
Generally winds of 10 mph. or less with no precipitation and no thunderstorm activity. The Captain has a saying that “it is better to be on the ground, wishing you were in the air than to be in the air, wishing you were on the ground!”. We have a perfect safety record since starting and intend to keep it that way!

How high will we go?
This will depend a lot on the weather and other factors but most balloon rides will go from just above the treetops to a few thousand feet in the air.

How safe is ballooning?
All of the pilots are licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). They have had extensive training and rank safety as the highest priority. Their choice to fly or not to fly is based mostly on the weather but also includes other factors. If they do not feel it is safe to fly then the flight will be canceled. All of our balloons are inspected by FAA maintenance facilities at scheduled intervals. In addition, balloons will be inspected by the pilot before every flight.

What should I wear while on the balloon?
The temperature in the balloon will be very similar to the temperature on the ground. We do NOT typically go to altitudes where the temperatures are a “really cold” as people often mistakenly presume. Boots (hiking, work, or muck variety) or sneakers are required. A hat of some type is recommended to provide a layer of protection between your head and the radiant heat emitted from the burners (a visor won’t help in this case). We recommend wearing long pants and sneakers or boots, this is for your protection.

Is tipping the crew allowed?
Absolutely! Our crews work hard to make sure that you have a safe, fun flight and by tipping them shows that you had a great time.

Can anyone fly the balloon?
To fly a hot air balloon you must be a licensed balloon pilot. Much like a fixed wing pilot, balloon pilots go through extensive training including ground school, written exams, and hands-on flying.

How do you steer the balloon?
Hot Air Balloons cannot be steered like a plane or helicopter. Balloons travel only in the direction of the wind. There may be different wind directions at different altitudes that the pilot may use to maneuver the balloon. Upon landing, our ‘Chase Crew’ that has been following the balloon since liftoff retrieves the balloon and passengers and returns them to the launch location.