Information and FAQ

Where Do We Fly?

How Do You Become a Balloon Pilot?

How Safe is Ballooning?

How High Do We Fly?

How Long is the Flight?

Where Does the Flight End?

What to wear when ballooning?

How Do We Get Back to the Launch Site?

Where Do We Fly? Our flights are primarily in Burlington, Mercer and western Monmouth Counties in New Jersey. On a clear day you are able to see breathtaking views of nearby Philadelphia, Trenton, and even Atlantic City and New York. We fly from South Jersey Regional Airport, the Red Lion Airport and approved balloonports. A launch site is chosen on the day of the flight after careful evaluation of the weather and wind trends.

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How Do You Become a Balloon Pilot? The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues aircraft pilot’s licenses specifically for balloon pilots. This license is earned after hours of instruction with a balloon pilot instructor, attending ground school, performing required flight tasks, passing an FAA written test and a flight test with an FAA examiner.

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How Safe is Ballooning? Your FAA-certified balloon pilot and crew members attend regular safety seminars. The balloon pilot also must complete a biennial flight review. The balloon and gondola are constructed to the strictest safety standards set forth by the FAA. The balloon and gondola are also inspected annually.

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How High Do We Fly? Most balloon flights range in altitude between 1,000 and 7,000 feet.

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How Long is the Flight? The balloon flight usually lasts for about 1 hour.

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Where Does the Flight End? Sometimes we land in an airport, or unplanted farm field, other times in the large backyard of a welcoming family. Since the balloon travels with the wind, it is impossible to identify a specific landing site prior to launch. However, your pilot is able to determine the general direction of the flight through the study of wind currents, and can choose a landing site as the end of the flight nears. The pilot can guide the balloon gently down in almost any open area.

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What to wear when ballooning? 1. All cotton comfortable clothes. Dress for the temperature of the day. It is about the same temperature on the ground as in the air aboard the balloon flight. 2. Do not wear sandles, flip flops or open toed shoes. Wear shoes like hiking boots because all the flights begin and end in grass fields.

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How Do We Get Back to the Launch Site? After the balloon lifts off into flight, the ground crew follows it in a chase vehicle. They use maps of the area, visual contact, and radio transmissions with the pilot to track the path of the balloon. The ground crew, also called the “Chase Crew,” tries to be nearby the balloon landing site. The crew often approaches property owners to request permission for the pilot to land the balloon there. The crew helps the pilot deflate and disassemble the balloon and return passengers and equipment back to the take-off location.

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