Romance and Adventure in the Air
The Fun & Excitement of a Balloon Ride
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Our Balloon "Sherwin" Photo D. Haliscak A view of "Carousel" from above Photo C. Williams "Mellow Yellow" from below
Flight Packages and Pricing (click to go directly to pricing)
What to Expect on a Balloon Ride
Who enjoys a hot air balloon ride and why go for a flight?
We have never met anyone who, after trying it, didn't enjoy their balloon ride! Our passengers come from all walks of life and all age groups. Our oldest passenger, to date, was 99 years young! The reasons people take a hot air balloon ride are as varied as there are people. We have flown passengers celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations. Balloon rides have been given as gifts for Christmas, Hanukah, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Valentine's Day. Many companies use balloon rides to say thank you to clients or as employee incentives. It's hard to say "no" to a marriage proposal when it is done in as romantic and as spectacular a way as a balloon flight. Lately, there are those who are checking off an item on their "bucket list" as just something they have always wanted to do.
In our 29 years in business we have seen practically everything. We especially like those passengers that were certain they would not enjoy a balloon ride. There is the challenge to convince them to try it and the satisfaction of having won them over when they tell us that they're sad the ride is coming to an end. First time passengers are unable to contain their sheer exhilaration and can't wait to go again. We have never had anyone who didn't like it, including a person who only crosses the Chesapeake Bay Bridge by laying down in the back seat of the car!
The best answer to the question "are we are doing things well" is the level of repeat business that we enjoy. People who have experienced the fun of our balloon rides are coming back to take our biplane ride and vice versa. Many of our morning passengers return to book an evening flight and our "sleepers in" decide to see what all the hoopla is, about a sunrise. Our passengers recommend us to their friends and give additional rides as gifts to the rest of the family. Our record for a repeat passenger is a person who has flown with us 9 times -and that's just in a balloon; 10 times if you count the biplane! Thanks Hank and Patrice! We had to come up with a frequent floater miles program as a result!
Hot Air Balloon Rides are Ideal For:
A "Staycation or Daycation" experience - not taking that big vacation? Stay closer to home and enjoy a ride!
- Making Memories that Will Last a Lifetime
The Person Who has Everything
The Gift they will Never Guess
The Child in All of Us
Download a Brochure or Read More Below and on Our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Page
Flight Packages & Pricing
The Champagne Charter Flight ...……........................$220 per passenger*
Our standard ride. Includes: Transportation to and from launch and landing sites. Approximately 1 hour in the air while the entire adventure is 2.5 - 3.5 hours from start to finish. A champagne or sparkling cider toast is presented after landing. Available for up to four passengers.
The 1/2 Hour Flight ........................................................$150 per passenger*
We have brought the 1/2 hour flight back during these tough economic times. We tried it many years ago as a way to make a balloon flight affordable for more people. We stopped offering it because even an hour is over before you know it - "time really does fly when you are having fun" (pun intended). We saw people disappointed that the flight was over so quickly - but the savings may help us both. There are restrictions as to availability and times. It includes everything that our champagne charter offers.The Private Charter Flight .............................................$800 per couple*
Our champagne charter flight with a romantic twist. A private charter for just two passengers. This ride ensures that it is only you and the pilot aboard. Great for proposals or that very special occasion where you want privacy.
Tethered Balloon Promotions ............................Cost is Based on Time
For parties, grand openings,
and company picnics. A balloon that is anchored to the ground by ropes and
carries passengers up and down on short rides or for the static display of a
banner. Go to our "Tether"
page for pricing, details, and specific
requirements.
* A $100 deposit is all that is required to
book a flight or to obtain a gift certificate. Price does not include a 5%
Maryland Admissions & Amusements Tax (MD Sales tax is 6% &
does not apply to our flights). Read our
Terms and Conditions
page for complete details.
We accept checks, cash, money orders, and all major credit cards.
The reasons we should be your choice for a flight:
1. We are experienced
- twenty-nine years in business without an incident or accident. We are the area's most
experienced balloon ride company. We are fully insured and FAA certified. We
are committed to safety.
2. We are full time - we do this for a
living and not as a retirement or hobby business to supplement our income -
we fly every day, not just
occasionally.
3. We are locally owned and operated, and a Maryland Corporation.
You are dealing directly with your pilot and flight crew; not with a broker
or middle man. You should be certain that you are flying with the same
company that you booked your reservation with and that the ride will be
provided locally. We have an "A" rating with the Better Business Bureau.
CAUTION
Consumer Alert
Beware when booking a balloon ride
ON LINE - Don't be taken in by unscrupulous
brokers or middle men schemes.
Become an informed consumer and
READ HOW to CHOOSE
We do not sell or accept any national ride certificates!
What to Expect when Taking a Hot Air Balloon Ride
When?
Balloons only fly the first several hours after sunrise and
the last hour or
so before the
sun sets to take advantage of calmer winds and to stay out of thermal activity.
Meeting times for flights will always be early in the morning or late in the afternoon and will vary with sunrise and sunset
times based on the time of year that you fly.
Flights may be scheduled on a mutually agreeable date, at any time of the year, seven days a week, weather permitting. While we have enjoyed wonderful flights in all months of the year; the mid-Atlantic area is somewhat seasonal for balloon flying. The best months are May thru early November.
What about the weather?
Balloons are very weather dependent aircraft and we are conservative about the weather that we choose to fly in. That means that if it is questionable, we will reschedule the flight. Statistically, about 60% of our flights are accomplished on their first try, 30% on the 2nd or 3rd try, and only about 10% have to be scheduled more than three times - but it does happen. We hold days open every week to accommodate rescheduled passengers as we know that it is unusual to get all of our flights completed in any given week.
Rescheduled passengers get priority on the flight schedule. We understand the
inconvenience to
your busy schedule to be postponed, but it is our mandate to ensure that your flight is provided with safety
as the first priority.
We fly because we are passionate about it; no one wants to go flying more than
your crew. If we tell you that it is not safe for flying, trust us, we know! We
have an entire page devoted to weather if you want to
learn more. There is
an old pilot axiom that we think says it all, "It is far better to be on the ground wishing you were flying, than to be flying and wishing you were on the
ground."
A view of Jarrettsville, MD Harford County with our shadow on the ground. Photo D. Gilman
Where?
We fly over the northern portions of Maryland’s Harford and Baltimore counties as well as southern Pennsylvania’s York and Lancaster counties. We are located 1 hour & 30 minutes from Washington D.C. and Philadelphia and 45 minutes from Baltimore and Annapolis. The scenery is both rural and picturesque.
The entire adventure lasts 2.5 to 3.5 hours from start to finish. It entails picking you up at our meeting location in Pylesville, Harford County, MD, eighteen miles North of Interstate 95. We transport you in one of our chase vans to a launch site. We have nearly three dozen launch sites and which one we use is based on the wind speed and direction that day. Because a balloon is a creature of the wind, we cannot guarantee that your flight will be over any specific area.
How Long?
Once on the launch site it takes twenty to thirty minutes to inflate the balloon and provide you with a passenger briefing. The basket and balloon fabric are unloaded and hooked together. Gasoline powered fans are used to inflate the balloon with cold air and the propane burners are then used to heat the air, causing the balloon to rise up.
Boarding the basket is very easy; we use a three step ladder to assist passengers in and out. We have had numerous passengers with disabilities have no problem getting aboard. The crew is there to help you. We have both 1/2 hour and 1 hour flights but the whole adventure lasts 2.5 to 3.5 hours from start to finish.
The
balloon is inflated on its side. Our balloon crew page
will take you through an entire flight from start to finish - showing you
each step of a typical flight!
How does it feel?
Lift off in a balloon is very gentle and passengers looking up into the balloon are often surprised to see that it has left the ground without them realizing it. There is no sensation of height or motion in a balloon. We have flown thousands of passengers who have said that they have a fear of heights. Not a single one of them, after five minutes aloft, have taken us up on the offer to land early.
We will fly for either 1/2 hour or about an hour based on the package purchased, fuel, and available landing opportunities. Some of our passengers have had 1.5 hour or longer flights; just luck of the draw! While flying, the pilot will rotate the balloon periodically to afford you views in all directions. Our altitude will vary from treetops to a thousand feet or more, depending upon what we are flying over and the conditions that day. The balloon basket does not sway, rock, or swing at all.
How is the landing?
Most landings are as gentle as a feather. It can be an "E" ticket ride depending upon wind conditions. In a landing with wind, the basket can "layover" on its side. Of course we endeavor to only fly in winds that will afford a smooth upright landing. After we land, we deflate the balloon and pack everything up. This takes the same amount of time as inflating the balloon, 20-30 minutes.
A basket full of children enjoying a short ride after we landed in their neighborhood.
A champagne or non-alcoholic sparkling cider toast
is served at the conclusion of the flight. The toast is a two-hundred year old
tradition dating back to the earliest French balloonists. Your pilot or balloon
crew will toast you and the landowner of the landing site and explain the
tradition to you at that time (some things are better done in person and we
don't want to spoil your enjoyment by giving it all away here). We will return
you to your vehicle at the conclusion of your adventure so there is no need for
you to have a driver or to make arrangements; we take care of that for you.
While ballooning is a sport that can be enjoyed by almost everyone, there are limitations. Women who are pregnant and in their late second or third trimester should not fly due to the possibility of a layover landing.
Children under the age of eight do not enjoy the length of a balloon flight. They are either bored or frightened by the burner flame. A balloon ride is very calm and serene, it is not a roller coaster. It has been our experience that young children will look at scenery for about 5 minutes and spend the next 55 minutes fidgeting and asking "are we there yet?" We recommend waiting until children reach an age that they can appreciate the experience; it will ensure that you both enjoy the ride and you won't regret spending money for nothing! If a company tells you otherwise, they are more interested in your money than your enjoyment.
Many people attempt to take a balloon ride when they are facing a grave illness. We recognize the desire to do this and endeavor to help these passengers fulfill their wish. Non ambulatory passengers are not prohibited from flying. We cannot however take aboard wheel chairs, oxygen equipment, or medicated passengers whose medication impairs them. If you have had recent surgery or are still wearing a cast, you should not fly. If you have a medical condition that may be affected by a balloon flight, you should check with your doctor prior to booking. Lastly, drugged, drunken, or inebriated passengers will be not be permitted aboard a flight at any time.
Come see why everyone has so much fun...
The adventure of a lifetime awaits you. Enjoy drifting silently over the
countryside, laughing at the folly of an unknown
destination. The world is an
almost perfect
place when viewed from the basket of a hot air balloon.
Call to schedule your balloon ride or to get a balloon ride gift certificate today!
410-836-1116
P.O. Box 837, Bel Air, Maryland 21014
Our larger than a house, 240 thousand cubic foot, balloon. Photo: B. Pierce
About Us | Biplane Airplane Rides and Pricing | How to Choose a Balloon Ride Company
Corporate Hot Air Balloon Programs | Weather for Ballooning | How to Become a Hot Air Balloon Pilot | How to Become a Member of the Balloon Crew
See the Steps of a Hot Air Balloon Flight from Beginning to End | Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Balloon Rides
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Biplane Rides | Charitable Donation Requests | Photo Gallery | Testimonials | Feedback | Links
Biplane Flight Airfield Directions | Passenger Briefings & Safety | Privacy Policy | Policies, Terms, & Conditions
Tethered Balloon Promotions - Grand Openings, Picnics, & Parties | Gift Certificates | Landowner & Community Relations | Search Our Site
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