• Flights occurs over Quechee Vermont and surrounding towns.

• Launch location is dependent on wind direction. About half the time launch occurs at our meeting location, other times it's to our advantage to relocate to aline the wind currents with features on the ground and most importantly landing options.

• Evening flights average 50 minutes, morning flights average one hour.

• The targeted flight time is one hour; however, when flying in an aircraft without the traditional ability to “steer” in a heavily wooded area exact flight time is not possible.

• Entire experience last approximately 3 hours.

• Balloon flight requires light winds on the surface and stable wind conditions, this only occurs during the first 2-3 hours after sunrise or the final two hours prior to sunset.

• Since sunrise and sunset times change daily, meeting times change slightly throughout the year.

• Click here for a schedule for flight meeting times

Balloons operate at a combination of low and high altitude.

• Balloons have excellent control of up and down movement, and utilize different winds at varying altitudes to “steer”.

• Low altitude involves floating just above the river or tree tops to a few hundred feet above the trees. At these altitudes we can best interact with the ground, see animals, talk/wave to people, see clearly the finer details of the world below.

• Higher altitudes are used to find a change in direction or speed. Speed is generally faster higher up and used to travel.

• Top altitude can range from 1,500 to over 4,000 ft msl. Average is 2,500-3000ft msl.

• Mornings flights generally have a higher top altitude, but both morning and evening flights vary similarly.

• Generally the balloons travel 4-8 miles from the launch sight, typically in a zig-zag flight pattern somewhat like a taking sailboat but also different.

• There is not control input to adjust speed, the wind currents the day of the flight will dictate this.

• Ideal balloon speed at low altitudes is slow, less than 8mph, ideally even slower the closer to the surface.

• Speed generally increase with higher altitude, this is used to travel, ideal speed at higher altitude is between 10-20mph.

• Evening flights typically have a faster average speed, and farther distance traveled, but both morning and evening flights vary similarly.

• Since balloon direction of travel is wind dependent, the exact landing location is unknown. The pilot has a plan and a target area based off weather forecasts and test balloons and elects a launch sight to best aline the balloon flight path with the intended target area.

• Everyone is transported in a vehicle to get back to the meeting location

• Chase crew follows the balloon, meets us upon landing, and transports everyone back to our meeting location.

• Required for inflation and packup.

• Balloon pilots have excellent control of up and down movements and altitude.

• Pilots use different wind currents at different altitudes to manipulate where a balloon travels.

• Typically wind varies direction on the surface compared to higher up. Using wind forecasts and real time test balloons the pilot determines the approximated wind headings. When looking at a compass the "pie-slice" between the most left direction and right direction determines the balloons "steerage" for the flight.

• There is no control import in a balloon to make a balloon turn left or right.

• The pilot has excellent control over altitude, ascents, and descents.

• The balloon burner increases the internal temperature generating lift.

• To descend the pilot simply lets the balloon cool down below equilibrium, if a steeper decent is desired or when landing the pilot can open vent to release hot air.