Please call us at 440-487-8172 for pricing information. We accept all major credit cards and gift certificates are available.

        We usually meet at 7780 Bainbridge Road in Bainbridge Township, only a 30 minute drive from downtown Cleveland.

        Suitable weather conditions, wind speed and wind direction are major factors in determining the safety of a balloon flight. We may have to change the launch site or even cancel the flight after it is scheduled. If the flight is canceled, we will try to reschedule you for a later flight as is convenient for you. Due to the nature of Northeast Ohio's weather, flights are frequently canceled and we all need to be flexible when scheduling. Should you need to cancel your flight, please call us immediately so that we can try to schedule someone else.

        Please read the Disclosure of Risks Inherent in Balloon Flight and Release of All Claims prior to scheduling a flight. All passengers will need to read them and sign the release before the flight. A parent or guardian must sign for minor children.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What should I wear when going on a balloon ride?
Please dress comfortably for the flight. We recommend clothes suitable for walking or hiking. Long pants are preferable to shorts or skirts. Footwear should be sturdy and water resistant, because of possibly damp grass at the launch or landing sites.

Is Balloon Flight Safe?
Statistically, you are more likely to be involved in an accident driving to the balloon ride meeting place than you are actually flying in the balloon. According to National Transportation Safety Board statistics there are fewer balloon accidents annually than any other form of aviation.

We are very proud of our accident free safety record. In fact, Bill Cloninger was awarded the Balloon Federation of America's Director's Award in 1997 for his active contribution to ballooning safety education.

How does the balloon fly back to where it took off?
Most of the time it doesn't. We fly where the wind takes us. In the midwest it is very unlikely to have wind patterns that will allow us to return to our starting place. Our chase crew follows us in a chase vehicle and at the end of the flight we drive back to where we started.

What are balloons made of?
The balloon envelope is made of reinforced ripstop nylon fabric. It is very light weight (1.3 to 2.4 ounces per square yard) but very strong. Some envelopes are treated with a polyurethane coating to make them more air-tight and to help the fabric withstand the ultraviolet rays of the sun. The basket, sometimes called a gondola, is made of woven wicker which is both strong and flexible. The basket is connected to the envelope with either steel or kevlar cables.

How do balloons work?
The simplistic answer is that hot air rises. The better answer is that hotter air is less dense than the surrounding ambient air and rise due to stronger buoyant force. In the balloon system the hotter air is trapped in the envelope. This 'cloud in a bag' lifts the load tapes which in turn lifts basket and passengers once the air is heated sufficiently to cause enough lift to overcome the mass of the entire system. When the pilot allows the air in the envelope to cool to just below the equilibrium temperature the balloon will start to descend. Heating the air in the envelope to just above the equilibrium temperature will cause the balloon to begin to rise.

How big are hot air balloons?
The most common sport balloon is approximately 70 feet high and 55 feet wide. This is about the same size as a seven story building. The balloon has 1,750 square yards of fabric in the envelope (or one-fifth of an acre in surface area), more than 3 miles of thread and almost one-half mile of nylon webbing used for load tapes and reinforcing. The envelope has a volume of 77,000 cubic feet making it more than three times larger than the average three bedroom house. This size of balloon can carry usually three to four people including pilot.

How are balloons inflated?
The balloon envelope is spread out on the ground and the basket laid on its side and attached to the envelope cables. A portable (gasoline powered) fan pushes cold air into the envelope. When the envelope is filled with cold air, the propane burner is ignited and the air inside the envelope is heated enough for the balloon to rise to an upright position. With a small amount of additional heat the balloon will reach equilibrium. Typically inflation takes 15 to 20 minutes.

How many people does it take to fly a balloon?
To launch and fly a balloon safely requires a minimum crew of three people plus pilot. Duties of the crew typically include preparing for the launch, following the balloon in the chase vehicle, obtaining permission of the landowner for the balloon landing and retrieval, keeping spectators out of the landing area, and ensuring that gates are left as the are found and that property is not damaged.

How much does a balloon system weigh?
A typical balloon system - envelope, basket, burner and fuel tanks with 30 to 40 gallons of fuel - will weigh about 500 pounds when deflated on the ground. Once inflated the balloon will weigh about 2.5 tons including the weight of the air in the envelope.

What kind of fuel do hot air balloons use?
Liquid propane is used to heat hot air balloons. Propane is a stable and predictable fuel although it is also extremely flammable. It is carried in liquid form, under pressure, in 10 to 20 gallon stainless steel fuel tanks and supplied to the burner through flexible hoses. The burner flame will shoot up approximately 10 to 15 feet in a blast that is controlled by the pilot. The typical 90 minute flight will use about 20 gallons of propane. Many balloons have redundant fuel and burner systems for added safety.

How high do balloons go?
Flights in hot air balloons have been recorded at over 50,000 feet above sea level. However, the sport of ballooning is most enjoyable at altitudes of 200 to 500 feet - just above the tree tops. When balloons fly over populated areas, they usually maintain an altitude of at least 1,000 above the surface unless they have special clearance from the FAA to fly lower.

Do balloonists carry parachutes?
Not usually. If the burner goes out and can not be re-ignited, the balloon itself acts as a parachute and descends at parachute speed of about 17 feet per second (12 miles per hour).

How long can balloons stay up?
Most hot air balloons can fly for 2 to 3 hours depending on outside temperature, altitude and weight carried. On cold winter days flights of 3 to 5 hours are possible.

How do pilots steer their balloons?
Generally speaking they don't. A balloon drifts with the wind - same direction and speed. Surface winds and currents often blow in different directions at different altitudes. The primary piloting skill is to place the balloon into a layer of wind that is going the direction the pilot wants the balloon to go. Pilots will send up helium balloons, called pibals, to judge wind directions and speeds aloft to get an idea of flight direction and 'steerage' prior to launch.

Where do balloons land?
Since the balloon travels with the wind, it is not possible to determine an exact landing site prior to launch. Once aloft a pilot will begin looking for appropriate landing sites. Large open areas such as parks, vacant or unplanted farm fields are preferred landing sites if landowner permission can be obtained.

How do the pilot and passengers get back to the launch site?
After the balloon is launched, the crew follows in the chase vehicle. Using maps of the flying area and radio communication with balloon, the crew tries to stay close to the balloon. Once a landing site is decided on the crew tries to obtain landowner permission and assist with landing. Once the balloon has landed and passengers off-loaded, the crew helps deflate, disassemble and pack the balloon and make it ready for transport. The chase vehicle then returns to the launch site where traditional champagne toasts are held.

When is the best time of day to fly a balloon?
Hot air ballooning is a year round sport. Weather conditions for ballooning are best just after sunrise and about 2 to 3 hours before sunset. At these times winds are light (less than 8 mph) making balloon flight safe and enjoyable. During the day, as the sun heats the earth, thermals are created which make ballooning hazardous as thermals reduce the pilots ability to control the vertical movement of the balloon.

How much does a balloon cost?
The average sport balloon costs from $12,000 to $25,000 depending on size and art work etc. Special shape balloons cost much more. It is not uncommon for a special shape balloon to cost more than $100,000. In addition, most balloonists have another $2,000 to $5,000 invested in ground support equipment not including their chase vehicle.

How do you become a balloon pilot?
To become a hot air balloon pilot, you must receive flight and ground instruction from a flight instructor licensed by the FAA. A pilot's license will be issued after successful completion of at least 20 hours of ground instruction and a minimum of 10 hours of flight instruction, passing the FAA's written examination, making several solo flights and passing a flight test given by an FAA examiner. To receive a student pilot's license required to begin training you must be at least 14 years old. To take your FAA flight test you must be 16 years old. If you are interested in becoming a hot air balloon pilot contact balloon pilots in your area and they will be glad to help you get started.