WELCOME TO SKYWARD BALLOONS
You have the bucket-list, we have the balloons!
Your adventure begins here…
Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime?! Your hot air balloon adventure begins when you meet your Pilot and Flight Crew. Morning Flights meet approximately 30 minutes after sunrise and Evening Flights meet approximately 2 1/2 hours before sunset.
At the launch site, the adventure begins with your pre-flight briefing. You will then watch with awe as you see our beautiful and colourful balloons takes shape before your very eyes, ultimately standing more than 10 stories tall! Once fully inflated and ready for take-off, you climb into the gondola and begin the adventure of a lifetime.
Up, up & away into the sky, you will have a bird’s eye view of the magnificent landscape, and you will float above the trees at approximate heights of 500-3000 feet. You will drift above the beautiful countryside, where you will experience sights like you’ve never seen. See wildlife in their natural habitat as the wind gently carries you over forests, ponds, and lakes. Shout & wave to envious on-lookers down below. The heights will vary from the ground up to 3000 feet, guaranteeing that you get a fantastic view un-surpassed by any other form of flight.
After a breathtaking flight, your pilot will prepare you for landing and remind you of landing procedure previously discussed in your pre-flight briefing. Once landed, your Flight Crew will stabilize and pack up the balloon while we invite you to join us for a Complimentary sparkling beverage celebration, the oldest of ballooning traditions. Your pilot will present you with a personalized Flight Certificate, signed and dated, to commemorate your Hot Air Balloon Adventure.
For ballooning we require light winds, good visibility and no precipitation. We fly up to 3000 feet but will also come down to touch the tree tops or skim across the corn fields. The flights are approximately 1 hour in length however we do require you for up to 4 hours in total for the entire adventure.
Due to insurance restrictions we cannot accept passengers under the age of 8, women who are or may be pregnant, or those with heart, back or knee problems. If you have any questions about these restrictions, please discuss them with one of our Customer Service Representatives.
Private chartered flights are also available. Please ask for details on how we can make your special day even more memorable.
Should your flight be cancelled by Skyward Balloons due to inclement weather conditions, you simply will need to call our office and reschedule your flight.
ABOUT SKYWARD BALLOONS
Skyward Balloons has built its reputation on providing “The Adventure of a Lifetime” using the best equipment and highly qualified Transport Canada approved Commercial Pilots. We have been creating unforgettable memories since 1993. The founder, Graham Rawlinson, President of Skyward Balloons has over thirty years of flying experience on single & multi-engine Aircraft, Jet Aircraft, Hot Air Balloons and Ultra-lights.
In 1993, Graham became a commercial balloon pilot and developed, coordinated and ran successful corporate balloon programs for international companies. Today, Skyward Balloons has become the most reputable Hot Air Balloon Company in Canada. We provide scenic champagne flights for individuals and groups. Many companies use Skyward Balloons as part of their corporate incentive programs and corporate promotions. We pride ourselves on ensuring that our passengers have an Adventure of a Lifetime in first class equipment with highly qualified Pilots. We create unforgettable memories in picture perfect conditions.
Skywards’ Pilots are the best in the industry and although it is not a Transport Canada requirement, most of our pilots are also Hot Air Balloon Flight Instructors and are licensed to fly airplanes. As a result, we have a perfect safety record. We fly passengers aged 8 and up, the oldest passenger we have flown being 94 years of age!
Skyward Balloons can also deliver your Corporate Advertising and Public Communications Program. There is no better advertising medium (Survey results on Impact of Balloon Branding Programs) for delivering high impact programs for building brand awareness and retention. As an advertising and promotional company that develops corporate communication programs using Hot Air Balloons, Cold Air Inflatables and event management, we can deliver your message in an exciting, highly visible and impactful way!
As a Transport Canada approved Flight Training Unit for both Hot Air Balloons and Ultra-Light aircraft, Skyward Balloons’ highly qualified pilots train student pilots from all over Canada. If you want further information on flight training, please call our office at 519-651-1833.
Skyward Balloons is also proud to be the Canadian Distributor for Lindstrand Balloons Ltd, recognized as the best in its class and the world’s leading provider of Hot Air Balloons and associated equipment.
If you have any questions or would like to know more about Skyward Balloons, please contact us.
DID YOU KNOW?
- The first human-carrying flight technology was the hot air balloon.
- On September 19th,1783, a scientist named Pilatre De Rozier launched the first hot air balloon called ‘Aerostat Reveillon’. The passengers were a sheep, a duck and a rooster and the balloon stayed in the air for a grand total of 15 minutes before crashing back to the ground.
- While unmanned balloons have been around in some form for thousands of years, the first untethered flight with people on board was in 1782.
- The large balloon on top of the gondola is called an ‘envelope’. It holds hot air created by a heat source known as a burner.
- The burner creates an open flame by burning a mix of liquid propane and air.
Hot air balloons are buoyant because the hot air inside the envelope has a lower density than the colder air outside. - Passengers typically stand in a wicker basket beneath the envelope.
- While most envelopes have a standard balloon shape, others are designed to look like animals, cartoon characters and other fun objects.
- The top of the balloon usually has a vent which allows the pilot to control the speed of ascent/descent (along with the burner).
- Hot air balloons can fly to amazing heights, the world record is over 21,000 metres! (68,900 feet). It’s tough to breathe up there so oxygen is needed from around 5,000 metres (16,400 feet).
- The temperature inside a hot air balloon is usually kept below 120 degrees Celsius (248 Fahrenheit).
- A typical envelope is made from nylon with a melting point around 230 degrees Celsius (446 Fahrenheit).
- Hot air balloon flights and festivals are popular in various destinations around the world. Well known locations include Cappadocia (Turkey), Albuquerque (New Mexico, USA), Luxor (Egypt) and the Serengeti (Tanzania).
- The largest hot-air balloon is 800,000 cubic feet and holds 45 passengers.
- The highest altitude parachute jump was done from a balloon and the individual broke the sound barrier on the way down!
TOP 10 WORLD RECORDS!
1. Largest mass ascent
The largest number of hot air balloons to take off at once was 433. This took place on July 31st 2013 in France at the Lorraine Mondial Air Balloon gathering.
2. The oldest person to fly in a hot air balloon
Emma Carol was 109 years old when she flew for an hour in a hot air balloon in 1895. Her record still stands.
3. The first people to cross the Atlantic in a balloon
Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand were the first people to fly across the Atlantic in a balloon. They flew from Sugarloaf, Maine, USA to Limavady in Northern Ireland in 1987. The 3,075-mile journey took 31 hours and 41 minutes.
4. First person to circumnavigate the world in a balloon
Steve Fosett set off from Western Australia in 2002 and landed in Queensland, Australia 13 days and 12 hours later to be the first person to fly around the world in a hot air balloon.
5. First balloon flight over South Pole
In January 2000, Ivan Andre Trifonov from Austria piloted a balloon over the South Pole at an altitude of 15,000 ft.
6. Highest balloon flight
The highest man has flown in a hot air balloon is 68,986 feet which was achieved by Dr Vijaypat Singhania who flew over Mumbai in India in November 2005.
7. World’s highest bungee jump
In 2002, a hot air balloon lifted British man, Curtis Rivers, to a height on 15,200 feet. From there, he launched himself with a 98 foot bungee cord attached to the balloon. He bounced five times then parachuted back to the ground.
8. World’s largest passenger hot air balloon
In 2014, a giant hot air balloon was manufactured by Cameron Balloons of Bristol. It carried 32 passengers to claim the world record for the largest certified passenger carrying balloon.
9. World’s most expensive hot air balloon flight
The ultimate balloon flight is over Everest, the world’s highest mountain. The website ifonly.com is advertising this trip of a lifetime for £5,215,000 for two people. Although the flight takes under a day, it may take several weeks of waiting in Nepal for the right weather conditions. Simply having the money does not guarantee a place. All intending passengers must undergo a mental and physical test and spend about a month on physical and skill training before the expedition. No money will be returned if the attempt to fly over Everest is unsuccessful.
10. The most hot air balloons to fly the English channel
In 2011, 49 balloons crossed from Dover to Calais across the English Channel. Originally, 50 balloons set off, but one had to land before Calais when it got into difficulties.