Let's start right away with what a lot of customers are interested in: How far in advance do you need to book a flight?
It depends. The season started in April this year, and since then we can come up with specific dates. Some people call a day or two in advance, some call a month or three in advance. If the client is flexible, we can always find a date together. Of course, our favorite clients are the ones who know they want to fly and adjust their work, etc.
We can usually offer a date within a week, 14 days at most. It's a bit harder with clients who have dates straight away: for example, they want to fly either on 22 July or 18 August. Then we pray that at least one of the dates will work out weather-wise.
What location do people most often choose to fly to and why?
Those that are close to them and they have a connection to. There are a variety of places to fly. When there is a personal connection, you enjoy the flight twice as much. Commonly in a balloon we hear phrases like: Here's where I caught you maybe...falling off your bike, or here's where we like to look for mushrooms, that sort of thing. If you want to see your house, we try to accommodate you. So that people can see what's close to them.
We change the altitude during the flight so that you can enjoy the scenery as much as possible. We move around 150m, 2 or 3 times we climb up to 300 to 500m. You can sometimes talk to people on the ground.
You can also fly in interesting tourist locations, around Karlštejn or even in the Czech Paradise. But I think the experience is always greater when you choose a place that you have a personal connection to.
We also have a few flights in Slovakia, but we don't go there. On paper we can, we have insurance. It's standard flying in the border areas. If you want to see your house, we try to arrange that.
What type of flight and balloon occupancy are most common?
I would divide the interest here into two halves: half of the passengers fly in a closed group with family, friends or colleagues. There are usually 4 to 10 of them and they put together a flight to share with loved ones. This is spreading. But it's also possible to fly completely privately with just two people, for anniversaries and the like.
Balloon gifts are also classic, where the recipient decides which balloon to fly in. He or she can buy a private flight or tickets for other family and friends. There is also an option to change the launch location.
What is the atmosphere like in the basket and how often do customers return?
It depends on the group. Generally speaking, smaller groups of about 10 people or less do better. The mood tends to be relaxed, fine. Even though we have less communicative people flying with us, they can share the experience well in smaller numbers.
It also depends on how much experience one has with ballooning. If you don't have a comparison, you like almost everything. Almost everyone else flies again. Usually people fly again after 4 to 5 years.
I also enjoy the atmosphere and the time together after landing. We have snacks waiting for passengers, like smoked meats and cheeses, champagne. We usually spend another 30 minutes or so together. Even here it's better if there are a few less of us. Because in a larger group, there is almost always someone who is in a hurry to leave, and that's a shame.
What is the most common reason people fly? Engagements, just because, corporate events, birthdays or other?
Either it's a gift, or everything you mention applies: Wedding gifts, marriage proposals, someone is just tempted and wants to indulge. It's even more common with airships. I buy it because I want it. Instead of a vacation, I get the experience of a lifetime. A lot of people buy it for family or to spice up a vacation. They're in a place for a week and they tend to be flexible with their time.
How many miles does a balloon usually fly in one flight?
We're up for a while, down for a while, alternating wind speed and direction. On average, we fly 8 to 15 kilometres as the crow flies. The main thing is to make the flight interesting, in terms of speed, altitude, the scenery you can observe.
Do you fly even in complete windlessness?
With airships, yes. As far as ballooning is concerned, there are few locations in the country that are truly windless. If it's windy at higher altitudes - like 1 km - there's no reason not to fly.
But we always make decisions with safety and the surrounding landscape in mind. So it's up to the pilot. We call the professional weather stations: Brno, Prague, Karlovy Vary, Ostrava or even Čáslav. Then we use a helium balloon on the spot and watch it fly. It is also important to see what the wind will be like in an hour, when it comes to landing.
In case of bad weather we cancel the flight ahead. About 2 to 4 times a season, an unexpected thunderstorm develops or the wind is faster than planned. However, these are exceptions.
How to dress for a balloon and what to bring
It is most practical to dress and dress as if one is going out for a walk or sporting event. Just comfortable sports clothes. Shoes without heels. If a woman comes in with heels, she must then go barefoot for safety reasons.
I recommend bringing a charged phone for taking pictures and 0.5 liters of water. It feels 3 to 5 degrees warmer in the basket, it doesn't blow and radiates heat from the burner.
Do you fly in hot weather? What are the ideal temperature conditions?
Sometimes flights in heat above 30°C are cancelled. It will be very hot in the basket and the balloon's carrying capacity is lower. Ideal temperature conditions are around 15 to 25 °C on the ground.
How long does the flight take? What if someone wants to fly longer?
50 to 70 minutes is the average time from take-off to landing. The actual length depends on the size of the landing area, for example. Usually it's the 50 to 60 minutes. A private flight could go longer, take an extra bottle when conditions and fuel supply allow. But I have been flying for about 16 years and it has happened 3 times that someone wanted to fly longer.
We have noticed that a 1:10 flight time is good and by 1:15 people are often asking when we are going to land. That's interesting.
How many estimated hours have you spent in a balloon? Where most often?
1550 hours in a balloon and I have the same number of flights. Most often it is the Central Bohemia region. My favourite places are Konopiště, Karlstejn, Český ráj, Český Šternberk. Also Brno, Pálava, Liberec region, Vysočina region, South Bohemia region or Olomouc region with Bouzov.
We are not tied to one locality. We are happy when, for example, Moravia is not possible to fly because of the weather and, for example, Plzeň region reports great conditions. So we take advantage of that.
You mentioned the airship, how is it different?
I've been flying airships since 2022. It's hot-air, it has an engine and it can return to the take-off point. Otherwise, the principle is very similar.
Which part of the flight do you find the most challenging and which the most enjoyable?
The most difficult parts are the takeoff and landing in the stronger winds. It requires 100% concentration, it's like driving a car, you can also tell crosswinds on the highway. The biggest calm is when you're flying. We talk to the passengers and share stories. One minute we're up, one minute we're down, and we're able to have a discussion. Then we look up again. But I have to keep busy piloting almost all the time.
Can you describe the atmosphere in the balloon before take-off? Are people scared? If so, what?"
They are afraid of the wind direction, if they can see what they want. Those who are afraid of heights are usually only afraid for the first 5 minutes. They're usually the most excited then. They enjoy it.
Can you tell us what people ask you most often during a flight?
The technical details of the balloon, why we descend when it melts, how the balloon rotates on its axis, how it allows descent. Then they ask about the positive and negative experiences of the balloon. They also ask about local knowledge of the terrain, which village it is, etc. If the tablet helps, I have pre-flight preparation.
What about the aforementioned landing? Is it very uncomfortable?
Landing always means basket contact with the ground. It's the riskiest part of the flight. Generally speaking, up to 10 km/h landing is safe and pleasant, no bouncing of the basket. At 15 km/h it is no longer possible to keep the balloon overhead, the basket will tip over, but even so it is not entirely unpleasant.
On the contrary, the more people call: Oh, that was great! But they have to follow the instructions, they're instructed beforehand. Tipping over like in Bottle Returns isn't hard, it just takes a while for the ball to stop. It's about the pilot and the conditions of the flight.
Do you remember any funny stories from the flight?
One time, for example, the group wanted adrenaline, so they got it: On takeoff, the pilot jumped out of the basket. But they weren't flying alone. The co-pilot was hiding in the basket.
How hard is it to become a balloon pilot? How hard is it to get a balloon course?
You need to pass a pilot test. It's similar to driving school. Apart from the theory, the candidate has 50 hours of no-fee flying, then a commercial test to see if you can do the pay flights. It's not hard to become a classic pilot, but it's harder to be a commercial pilot.
How are hobby pilots different from commercial pilots?
They only fly in 100% weather. Even as hobby pilots they have to take exams, we are a pretty tight community, even less of us as examiners. Lives are at stake. We don't want serious incidents here. There has not been a death or other serious incident in the last 40 years. It's not for nothing that they say a balloon is the safest means of transportation. But from my point of view, it's an airship.
If people wanted to take a flight in just one single location in the Czech Republic, which one would you recommend from a pilot's perspective and why?
What's close to their heart. It doesn't matter where. As long as they choose what is close to their heart and who they will share the experience with.
Finally, will you give courage to those who would like to fly but are afraid?
The brain is scared when it has a solid connection to the ground, like a tower. Whereas in a balloon, the brain assesses it as being safe in a solid wicker basket. Every 5th, 6th person is afraid of heights, this is where it falls.
I'm scared of towers myself, I get laughed at at home.
Thank you for the wonderful talk. We hope we have allayed the fears of all those who are still hesitant about ballooning. We wish you all successful flights full of relaxed passengers.
