Frequently Asked Questions
Have some questions about your Skyward Balloons Flight or Hot Air Ballooning in general?
Check here for more information.
How do I book a Balloon Flight?
When do balloon flights take place?
What type of weather conditions are needed?
Can balloons fly during the winter?
How big is the hot air balloon?
What makes the hot air balloon rise?
What happens if I don’t fly this season? Will I still be able to fly?
What can cause a cancellation of a flight?
What is your cancellation policy?
How do I book a Balloon Flight?
It’s simple… just call Skyward Balloons and we’ll book the flight for you. No need to try to do it yourself. If you need to purchase a flight certificate click here.
On average, passenger flights are approximately one hour in length. Some flights can vary from 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours depending on the amount of fuel on board, the passengers’ combined weight, the temperature of the air and when the pilot finds a suitable landing field.
When do balloon flights take place?
Flights take place at sunrise within 30 minutes of sunrise and approximately 2 hours prior to sunset. Hot Air Balloons are not able to fly during the middle of the day due to thermal winds which develop during the day, which makes the air unstable.
What type of weather conditions are needed?
Hot Air Balloon passenger flights take place in winds less than 8 knots, with no rain or approaching storms in the immediate area. Flights also require a minimum flight visibility of at least 5km. However, we prefer 10km plus for better passenger viewing.
Special clothing is not required for hot air ballooning. We always suggest practical wear, such as long pants, a light jacket, a hat and no sandals or high heels. Dress as if you were going out for a walk in the countryside.
Yes, most certainly. Ballooning gives you fantastic picture opportunities of the surrounding area. Don’t forget to bring extra batteries for your camera and a protective case for landing.
Can you fly during the winter?
Yes, some of the best flights take place during the fall and winter months. During this time, visibility is usually unlimited. We schedule winter flights on a standby bases.
No, it is about the same temperature as on the ground. There is a slight change of one degree or so, if we fly very high.
How big is the hot air balloon?
A small Hot Air Balloon is 56,000 cubic ft. That is approximately 60 feet high and 50 feet in diameter. An average 4 passenger plus a pilot balloon is 105,000 cubic ft. Skyward Balloons also flies larger balloons up to 210,000 cubic ft that can carry 8 passengers plus the pilot.
What makes the hot air balloon rise?
Hot Air! High-powered propane burners ignites and heats liquid propane that is aimed into the balloon to make it rise. The burners create 30+ million BTU’s of heat. In comparison, an average home barbecue generates 40,000 BTU’s. Each flight uses approximately 100 to 160 litres of propane.
The balloon travels the same speed as the wind and on an average flight the distance is approximately 15 km.
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 for landing. Our ‘Chase Crew’ will have been following the balloon since lift off and will retrieve the balloon and passengers and returns them to the launch location.
Though the altitude record for hot air ballooning is 76,000 feet, the height of passenger flights range anywhere from tree tops up to 3,500 feet.
What happens if I don’t fly this season? Will I still be able to fly?
As ballooning is weather dependent we have to cancel your flight if conditions are not safe. If your flight is cancelled, you simply reschedule for another date that suits your schedule. Sometimes passengers can be cancelled a few times before being able to fly. Your gift certificate does not expire!
What can cause a cancellation of a flight?
As safety of the passengers, crew and equipment is of utmost priority, flights will sometimes have to be cancelled. Various factors can cause cancellation such as weather conditions, equipment malfunction or pilot injury or illness. Your safety is our concern and we will not fly if this is jeopardized. If your flight is cancelled you simply reschedule for another flight.
What is your cancellation policy?
All certificates and vouchers are prepaid in full and are non-refundable. We do understand that sometimes passenger’s situations may change and they no longer can or wish to use their certificate. For this reason, all our certificates are transferable. Simply let us know who you have transferred the certificate or boarding pass to and we will adjust the files.
Evening Flights in the Tri-Cities area will meet at Victoria Park in Kitchener by the Clock Tower or at another site indicated on our flight information system phone line. Meeting times and launch sites will vary as the season progresses. Skyward Balloons operates flights all over South Western Ontario. Please call (519) 651-1833 to confirm the meeting time, meeting location and status of your flight. For Sunrise flights, please call in after 11:00 PM the night before your flight, and for Sunset flights, please call after 4:00 PM the day of your flight.
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