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Scenic Wind Balloon Tours

Q: What should I wear? A: The temperature does not change much from the ground to the height of flight so we recommend that you wear comfortable clothes or layers of clothes suitable for the current weather. We do suggest that you wear sturdy closed toe shoes and longer pants for your safety upon the landing. Bringing a camera or video camera is also suggested. For those taller folks, with some sensitivity to heat near your head, we suggest that you wear a fitted cap of some sort as there is some radiant heat downward from the onboard propane powered burners.

Q: Where will we launch from? A: The launch site is determined by the forecast wind direction and where that will take us to. We would like to make your trip scenic yet not take us in a direction that would limit landing spots. We have several spots around town that we like to use.

Q: Where will we land? A: Mother Nature plays a big role in this, at take off the pilot only knows the direction that will being going he will be looking for landing spots from the air as the flight progresses. The “chase crew” has radio contact with the balloon and will try to be in the vicinity when the pilot finds the spot he wants to land at. They will then help with the pack up.

Q: What time of day can we fly? A: In the Omaha/Council Bluffs metro area the air is most stable at sunrise or about sunset. Meet times are generally 1/2 hour before sunrise and about 2 hours before sunset so we can enjoy the calmer winds for launch and landings.

Q: How long does the whole “tour” take? A: We like to figure that from unpacking the balloon, inflation, flight, pack up & return to launch site can take up to 3 hours, a lot depends on how far the wind takes the balloon. Ground transportation back sometimes is quite longer than the “how the crow flies” path the balloon took.

Q: Do I need to put down a deposit when I book a ride? A: No, you can pay for ride at the time of the flight by cash or personal check. Gift Certificates are available for purchase for flights with us, the recipient and pilot can coordinate the flight date. Sorry no credit cards accepted.

Q: If I book a flight what should I expect? A: Our pilot takes scheduling according to dates you’d like, a few day before the flight he will contact you with whether the weather looks good or not and an expected meet time. Prior to the flight the launch site will be set and confirmed with the passengers. At the launch site the crew will unpack the balloon from the trailer, using an 8HP fan pack the horizontal envelope with cold air, then the pilot will turn on the burners and begin heating the air, as the envelope rises the basket become vertical. The passengers get in and with the pilot begin their ascent to an awesome experience.

Spring in Ohio

Summer along the Elkhorn R.

Summer in Nebraska

Fall colors near Linder Lakes

winter near Elkhorn River

Q: Can I go for a flight in any season? A: Yes, we do fly year-round each season having its unique qualities and can all be quite scenic.

Q: It's a beautiful day...why did the pilot call and say it's not flyable? A: Hot Air balloons are dependant on the wind speed for flight. Generally pilots do not like to launch in ground winds or gusts greater than 10 MPH some pilots even have a lower speed they feel comfortable with. Forecasted ground speeds at expected time of landing also play in a pilots decision to fly or not on a particular day.

Q: Is it safe? A: Hot air ballooning is the safest form of aviation. The pilot is an FAA licensed Commercial pilot and well as the aircraft being. FAA registered and annually inspected by a certified inspection station. The inspector does a series of test to make sure that it is kept to strict standards of airworthiness.

Q: How many people can go for a ride? A: Our system is rated for 4 passengers but a lot depends on the outside air temperature. The air in the top of the balloon has to heated to a temperature hot enough to make the balloon rise, so the warmer the weather outside, the less weight that can be carried in the basket. Typically our system can carry on a 40F degree day about 750 lbs. of passenger weight while on a 90F degree day only 450 Lbs.

Q: Why can the pilot not tell me where we are launching from when I call for a reservation? A: Different layers of air have different speeds and directions. The pilot will determine the expected launch site based on the forecasted direction of the wind within a few hours of the flight time. It is generally not a good idea to float over the main areas of Omaha or Council Bluffs as landing spots are limited and being in the flight path of the Eppley or Offutt's air traffic is not something that we would like to do on a regular basis. If you would like to fly over a certain area please discuss this when you make your reservation. We use several spots around the area to launch, all make for nice scenic flights.

Q: What is the balloon made of ? A: The envelope itself is made of rip-stop nylon similar to parachute material. The basket is made of wicker, with wood flooring, metal tubing underneath to which the “uprights” connect to the burner and a number of cables running the height of the envelope. The envelope has a parachute top which is used for altitude control, inflation and deflation. The double burners onboard are fueled by 2 18 gallon tanks of propane and are capable of putting out 25 million BTU’s of heat an hour. The pilot also has onboard an altimeter, variometer, pyrometer as well as a GPS and 2 way radio.

Q: What happens if a bird flies into the balloon? A: Balloons are large enough that most birds avoid them. The envelope fabric is tight and tough enough that a bird would most likely just bounce right off. The balloon manufacturer has performed many tests for its durability. It is possible to fly a balloon with a very large hole in the fabric as long as it's below the center point or equator of the balloon.

Q: I don't like heights so how could I experience flight? A: Most people's dislike for heights is more of a fear of falling or hitting the ground, in a balloon the feeling is very different from say climbing a ladder as you are standing on a solid surface of the gondola floor with it's sides up to about waist high. So while you drift with the wind you can look around you and don't really have the shaking or rocking feeling of a ladder or a Ferris-wheel.

Q: Do passengers ever get motion sickness? A: As the balloon is moving with the speed of the wind there is very little feeling of motion in the balloon.