Kwabeekstraat 4 - 3370 BOUTERSEM - tel +32 16 35 35 35

EVERYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW AND NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU TAKE A BALLOON FLIGHT.

Colourfully painted hot air balloons hanging majestically in the sky above you is becoming a common sight nowadays. And yet, for many taking a balloon flight remains 'something beyond their reach'. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's a once in a lifetime experience, and perfectly safe, something you will remember for years. Moreover, you don't have to worry about having a fear of heights in a balloon basket because there is no direct contact with the ground.

Balloon flights are usually held between April & October, either at sunrise or a few hours before sunset. This is because a balloon has to fly in 'stable' weather conditions. During the day, thermals and gusts of wind make conditions unstable while in the early morning and evening the atmosphere is a lot calmer. However, it is possible to fly throughout the day in the winter months. Ideal balloon weather can best be described as cloudy or sunny but dry, no danger of showers or storms in a radius of 50km, a not too strong ground wind (for a safe lift off and gentle landing) and good visibility (from 10km on the ground).

A balloon basket can hold - depending on its size - from 2 to 10 passengers. It's certainly not cold in the basket either! The temperature only drops 1 degree per 500m, and because you don't feel the wind and there's also the heat emitted from the burner, it feels warmer than on the ground. We recommend everyone to wear sturdy walking shoes or trainers. Other than that, no other special clothes are necessary. Just a cap or hat to protect your head from the heat emitted by the burner.

A balloon usually flies at an altitude somewhere between 150 and 800 metres, depending on the region and the weather conditions. In general, it's safe to say that the nearer you are to the surroundings of Brussels, the lower the balloon has to fly. This is due to the busy air traffic around Zaventem. Balloons are strictly forbidden in a radius of 20km around Brussels. The borders of this zone are marked out by Mechelen, Leuven, Waver, Halle and Asse. It's around this zone that we choose our lift off site, bearing in mind the wind direction, wind speed and - whenever possible - the vicinity of our passengers' homes.