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By Jade, August 28, 2012 1:10 pm

One of our recent passengers Margaret Oflaherty, known to family and friends as ‘Pearl’, celebrated her 80^th birthday on board one of our hot air balloons earlier this month. Making the flight even more special, she flew with daughter Cathy Low who was also celebrating her 60^th birthday.

Along with her sisters and brother, Cathy bought Pearl the balloon flight as a memorable experience to commemorate the special occasion of her 80^th birthday. Pearl went to visit Cathy in Yorkshire, giving the perfect opportunity for the pair to book their flight together from one of our Yorkshire sites. Their flight took place on a bright and fresh August morning from York Racecourse.

The wind carried them northwards for around 12 miles, taking the balloon over a great deal of the beautiful Yorkshire countryside and even giving Cathy the opportunity to spot her house below the basket. She told us “The pilot, Chris Oxby, was very knowledgeable about the locality of the balloon and the crew were very helpful, especially with assisting my mother.”

Cathy further added that she would love to go on another balloon ride, but next time near London, “My mother and some more of our family live in Hertfordshire so I would have knowledge of the area.” If there’s one way to view a familiar place from a different perspective, it’s thousands of feet up in the air in a hot air balloon!

You too can climb on board a hot air balloon with us for as little as £89pp. We have over 100 fantastic launch sites for you to choose from, just visit our website or call us in the office on 0844 844 8080 to book now.

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By Alex, August 21, 2012 3:22 pm

We had a fantastic first visit to V Festival at Hylands Park in Essex where we tethered a balloon at the weekend and what a scorcher it was!

Guests from the brilliant Virgin Media Louder Lounge enjoyed rides in the blazing sun and we rubbed shoulders with celebrities including actor Billy Piper, singer Sophie Ellis Bexter, actor Ralph Little and boy band One Direction, who were all at the event.

We also provided some additional entertainment for the crowd who could see our balloon from the main stage, bobbing away to music from the likes of Tom Jones and Snow Patrol. Our balloon looked particularly spectacular as it lit up in the dusky gloom.

It was a fantastic way to mark 25 years since Sir Richard Branson and co-pilot Per Lindstrand did the first transatlantic balloon flight – making Virgin synonymous with hot ballooning forevermore.

Thanks to everyone who flew with us, who tweeted us and the Virgin Media team who made us feel so welcome.

If you would like to experience a hot air balloon ride over Essex visit our website.

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By Alex, August 17, 2012 9:19 am

An iconic Virgin hot air balloon is appearing at the Virgin Media V Festival for the first time this weekend, 25years after Sir Richard Branson’s record-breaking transatlantic flight.

Virgin has been synonymous with ballooning since founder Sir Richard Branson and co-pilot Per Lindstrand were the first to fly across the Atlantic in a balloon in July 1987. Their huge balloon travelled 3,000 miles from Maine, USA, to Ireland in 32 hours, reaching speeds of 130 miles per hour.

Two and a half decades on and Virgin Balloon Flights is the UK’s leading balloon rides provider and will be tethering a balloon at the festival’s Essex site in Hylands Park, Chelmsford, on Saturday and Sunday afternoons (August 18 and 19).

It will be the debut display of a Virgin balloon at the festival which started in 1996 and this year features performances from the Killers, the Stone Roses and Snow Patrol.

Weather permitting, VIP guests from Virgin Media’s Louder Lounge will be offered complimentary rides in the 75ft tall balloon giving them a unique experience and an alternative perspective of the site.

Kevin Meehan, Virgin Balloon Flights’ pilot for VFestival, is one of the UK’s most experienced balloonists and assisted with Sir Richard’s later global record attempts.

He said: “Sir Richard and Per Lindstrand’s transatlantic flight was incredible and forged the way for a number of ballooning records including their Pacific crossing in 1991. We’re delighted to be at VFestival for the first time 25 years on. Both music and ballooning are at the heart of Virgin’s rich heritage, so we love bringing them together and have hosted several gigs in balloons over the years.

 

“A tethered balloon ride is a good taster for what an actual flight is like and we’re looking forward to welcoming special guests aboard, providing the weather is on our side,” he added.

Virgin Balloon Flights fly from over 100 locations across mainland Britain. For more information visit www.virginballoonflights.co.uk or for latest news, offers and competitions like us at www.facebook.com/virginballoonflights

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By Alex, August 16, 2012 11:35 am

Hot air balloon experiences make for one of the most exciting gifts you can give anyone, whatever the occasion. But what can you really expect on hot air balloon rides – and are they for everyone?

Most commercial balloon baskets in the UK are designed to take between 10 and 16 people. But they are split into compartments, with up to four people in each one, so you still have some of your own space, and be with whoever you are riding with for that intimate experience.

Clearly, you need to bear in mind that you won’t be able to have a lot of belongings with you on the flight. Cameras, however, are a great idea, and often there is somewhere in the basket you can store your photographic kit for landing. Alternatively, take advantage of the in-flight photo service which is available in some areas!

The only age limit generally concerns those aged under seven, and those under 16 usually need an adult to fly with them.

In terms of weight restrictions, surcharges are often levied if passengers weigh more than 20 stone, or sometimes those who are heavier than 18 stone who are shorter than 6ft in height.

If you are pregnant, it won’t be possible to fly for safety reasons, until after the birth. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, or a disability, talk to your balloon flight company, who will discuss with you whether you are able to fly.

Most flights take place in the early morning or evening. During the day, the ground is warmer, and the resulting rising air columns can result in updrafts and downdrafts which may mean the pilot would not be able to control the balloon’s height with the required control.
In the UK, the ballooning season lasts from spring until the autumn, with each season bringing different weather, sights and experiences.

If you’re wondering about what to wear, comfort should take precedence over fashion, and sensible shoes are essential. Think country walk clothes, with warm, comfy layers and perhaps some headgear, since the burners can be quite warm.

Finally, you probably won’t know until you fly exactly where you are going to land, or what height you will reach. Altitude could depend to an extent on the time of year and air traffic restrictions in certain areas. But the ground crew support team is in the touch with the balloon, and tracks it, and, once you’ve landed, you will be picked up and taken back to the launch site as soon as possible.

Balloon Flights from Virgin

Whether you’re looking for hot air balloon rides in Kent or anywhere else across the UK, make Virgin Balloon Flights your first port of call. We’re Britain’s number one when it comes to ballooning, and fly from more than a hundred locations nationwide.

We offer flexible ride vouchers, along with luxury gift extras, and can email or send the tokens for next day delivery.

From initial greeting and helping launching the balloon to the champagne toast and certificate presentation post-landing, anyone who rides in one of our balloons is in for a genuinely unforgettable experience.

So, go on, make someone’s day – send them up, up and away!

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By Jade, August 15, 2012 3:56 pm

Best friends Hayley Green and Jessica Tradewell experienced their first hot air balloon ride on a beautiful Saturday evening from our launch site at  York Racecourse.

The pair told us “We wanted to try fun & exciting things while we are still young and a balloon flight is something we’ve always wanted to do.” As part of their endeavour to try new experiences, Jessica bought Hayley a tandem skydive for her 21^st Birthday last year. In return, Hayley treated Jessica to a hot air balloon ride for her birthday this year. Hayley said “I wanted to buy something memorable for Jessica’s 21^st and chose Virgin as they are a well known company and reliable.”

When asked what their favourite part of the flight was, they told us “We loved it all. It was nice to just relax and take in the views of York whilst watching the animals in the fields.” A particular part of the flight that stuck in their minds was the beautiful colours in the sky with the sun shining through.

Hayley and Jessica praised the pilot Chris Oxby and his crew expressing that they were excellent and very friendly. “They got us involved in inflating and deflating the balloon. They answered any questions we had and made us feel very safe.”

They added “We loved every minute of it & would definitely recommend it to anyone considering it”. Eager to experience another flight, the pair said they would definitely go again but maybe from our Temple Newsam County Park launch site so they could see some different views from Leeds.

You too can enjoy a balloon flight over Yorkshire or any of our other 100+ launch sites for as little as £89pp. Just call us in the office on 0844 844 8080 or visit our website.

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By Alex, August 10, 2012 1:31 pm

Tea was poured, cupcakes were nibbled and classical music drifted through the air as we successfully hosted the ultimate tea party in the sky at 1300ft.

We organised the unique event – believed to be the highest open-air airborne tea party – to the celebrate the Great British summer at Bristol International Balloon Fiesta today.

One of our huge Virgin balloons launched in a mass ascent with scores of others from Ashton Court – one of over our 100 UK locations for balloon rides – shortly after sunrise.

We served sandwiches and cream cakes to the lucky guests on china crockery and they enjoyed Twinings tea and English sparkling wine as they floated along, while classical string music played in the bunting-clad basket.

After an hour’s flight traveling south west of Bristol, Virgin Balloon Flights’ pilot Mark Simmons, of Atworth, near Bath, landed perfectly at a miniature airfield for radio controlled planes north of Yatton.

Mark, who has been flying for 23 years and already holds the record for the highest concert in a balloon, said the flight could not have gone better.

He said: “Every balloon flight is an adventure and today it all came together to be one of the most amazing flights I’ve had. The views were spectacular, the tea party was a great success and the lovely passengers seemed to thoroughly enjoy it.

“It was a unique and fitting way to celebrate this Great British summer,” he added.

Karen Rowles, of Malmesbury, Wiltshire, won the flight for her and husband Alan in a competition on the Virgin Balloon Flights Facebook page. She said it was an unforgettable experience and had made her year.

“It was bizarre drinking tea, eating cake and having music in the background up there. It was great,” she added.

Another prize winner Richard Evans, of Langford, near Bristol, flew with wife Emma

He said: “It was really surreal and like nothing we’ve done before. It was certainly the most interesting cup of tea we’ve ever had.”

 

For more stories and pictures from the Virgin Balloon Flights Tea Party in the Sky plus news, offers and competitions visit www.facebook.com/virginballoonflights

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By Alex, August 7, 2012 11:32 am

Christmases, anniversaries, weddings, engagements, special birthdays … especially if you have a large extended family or a wide social circle, the list of occasions calling for gifts can seem endless.

And unless the person you are buying for has a particular hobby or has asked for a specific gift, it’s all too easy to find yourself wandering around the shops, completely at a loss . As time ticks away, you could end up presenting someone special with a gift which gets a polite thank you and is then promptly forgotten about.

One alternative is to give them an experience they’ll be talking about for a long time to come, and will never forget, rather than something which ends up languishing at the back of a drawer.

Surprising your friend, partner, relative or clients with a hot air balloon experience, for example, has many other benefits too. You can organise it online in minutes, so there’s no traipsing round the shops or parking to worry about. This can be ideal if you don’t live near or with the person you are buying for – there are no postal charges, and no possibility of the present getting lost in the mail.

And, as well as being wonderfully original gift ideas, balloon flights are flexible in when and where they can be taken. You can give just the balloon ride itself, or, if you really want to make the whole experience even more special, extras like champagne are usually on offer as well.

Every flight unique

Give your recipient the unforgettable experience of floating freely high about the countryside, with a bird’s eye view of the land below, perhaps including places you know and even where you live.

Each flight is a unique adventure, but all of them offer a privileged view of countryside, towns and villages.

Book with Virgin Balloon Flights

At Virgin Balloon Flights, we’re the UK’s leading provider of these rides. We offer hot air balloon experience days at dozens of locations across England, Wales and Scotland, which you can book with a whole range of luxury gift extras.

We also offer a number of delivery options, including email and express following day arrival.

Our balloons go up seven days a week, from March until the autumn. We fly morning and evening, and, depending on things like weather and the suitability of landing sites, usually last an hour – although it will seem as though you have been up in the air a lot longer! And the whole experience will last for up to four hours.

Passengers get a full briefing from the pilot, along with, in many cases, the chance to help inflate the balloon. Then they toast a successful ride with champagne after landing, and, still on a high, help deflate the balloon, and receive a special certificate, before being taken back to the launch site.

With the largest fleet of balloons and more scheduled flights and more passengers than anyone else, flying around 30,000 people a year, Virgin has become the largest balloon ride business in the world. Find out more today.

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By Jade, August 3, 2012 1:30 pm

After flying in a balloon or even just seeing one in the sky, many people often wonder what it takes to become a pilot. Achieving a pilot’s licence requires important training along with a great deal of commitment and passion for ballooning.

There are two types of pilot’s licence; one is a private licence (PPL) that allows you to fly passengers without charge. The second is the one all our pilots have, a commercial licence (CPL), which allows them to operate a balloon for hire.

As soon as you climb on board with the intention of learning how to pilot a hot air balloon, you become a PUT (Pilot Under Training). First things first, you must have a flight as a passenger – this checks that you will enjoy your time in the sky before committing more time and energy to becoming a pilot. If you’re still keen to continue, you then have to join the British Balloon and Airship Club (BBAC) and get affiliated with your local BBAC region. This enables you to meet pilots in your area – be sure to become good friends with some of these guys as they’re the ones that can teach you how it’s done! Another important necessity is a medical declaration of fitness signed by your GP to ensure you are fit to fly.

If all the requirements are fulfilled, it’s then up, up and away as the training begins. When training, you must keep a log of the hours which needs to include at least 16 hours flying experience and a minimum of 6 flights (4 of which need to be with a BBAC approved instructor). Just as important as the physical activity of ballooning, hopeful pilots need to keep on top of the theory. Various ballooning books and aviation charts are available to help with this and BBAC recommend ones such as ‘The Air Pilots Manual – Volume 2 – Air Law and Meteorology’ and ‘The BBAC Pilot Training Manual – for Balloon Systems and Navigation’ (BBAC, updated March 2010). At Virgin Balloon Flights, we consider this next requirement to be hugely important; attending a Landowner Relations course. This helps to raise awareness of respect for the countryside and to ensure continuing good communication between farmers and balloonists.

To finally qualify, you must perform a solo flight under the supervision of an examiner and take a written examination in Aviation Law, Navigation, Meteorology, Balloon Systems and Human Performance. To further achieve a commercial pilot’s licence, a further 35 hours in the air is required, including 10 flights in total (2 of which need to be solo) and a controlled ascent up to 3000 feet above the take-off point. The last step is two final tests- a written and a practical knowledge test from the Civil Aviation Authority, once you’ve passed those…you will be a fully qualified commercial hot air balloon pilot!

A lot of balloonists were crew first and gained experience flying with their pilot. Others travel to places like Italy or France for intense courses which give them the knowledge and basic hours required to gain a PPL. It takes years to build up to flying larger commercial balloons like ours as you need many hours and to be assessed flying the larger aircraft.

This may all sound hard work, but the rewards are definitely worth it. Being a hot air balloon pilot is one of the most exciting and interesting jobs you could have. Here’s what a two of our pilots had to say:

“The thing I love most about ballooning is that every flight is completely different, which makes the job more interesting each time you fly. You also get to meet a different group of people on each flight. It’s great to be able to give people that once in a lifetime experience of flying in a hot air balloon.” Des Bimson

“The best thing about ballooning is the peace and serenity, no other flying comes remotely close. My most memorable flight was flying over the Alps in Austria, the most amazing scenery of snow covered mountain peaks as far as the eye could see.” Robert Keron

If you’d like to read more about our pilots and their experiences, just visit our website here.