Ballooning World
Ballooning for everyone.
Nowadays it is possible for most people in many countries of the world to take a hot air balloon flight without ever owning a balloon, becoming a pilot or even considering it. Whether a visiting tourist or a local resident, this opportunity is open to everyone with enough money to buy the flight. This is thanks to the significant growth of the balloon ride sector all over the world, which coincides with the general growth of sports and the leisure industry. It has also been helped by the general public’s insatiable spirit of adventure and love of hot air balloons.
For some, their first balloon flight may be to celebrate a special occasion or a birthday. For others, to fulfil a lifelong ambition. In all these cases, the first flight is always a memorable occasion, provided by a very special service — the balloon ride operator. This commercial operation is present on every continent and terrain: in the Australian countryside, the reserves of Africa or near the cities of Europe and North America.
How does the balloon ride business work?
For the passenger — operations may obviously vary from country to country, but they all have one thing in common. The operation is based on qualified pilots flying passengers who will live the adventure of their lives, lasting from an hour to an hour and a half for an agreed price. In most cases this is done with balloons built specifically for selling passenger flights. Some operations may run at weekends only, while others are large commercial organisations running services similar to those of small airlines.
However, the big difference compared with an aeroplane flight is that in a balloon you will never know exactly where you will end up! Perhaps that is part of the attraction. The only thing you can be sure of as a passenger is that you will be flying in one of the safest forms of aviation.
Ultramagic, as one of the world’s largest hot air balloon manufacturers, has specialised in the design and manufacture of ride balloons for many years. We supply everyone from small operators flying just 4 passengers up to baskets with many compartments carrying 4 passengers each! Thanks to our experience, Ultramagic has been an important contributor to the growth and safety of this business. Having the right equipment is precisely one of the most important requirements for running this business successfully.
Those wishing to know more about buying a balloon flight in their area can start by looking up contact numbers in their local yellow pages, as most operators use this service. This does not apply, of course, if you are far away travelling. In those cases, a good travel agency can help you. Many flight operators can of course be found on the Internet.
How do you start a balloon ride business?
Location, location, location. This saying is often used in relation to setting up a business, particularly a retail one, and unsurprisingly it very much applies to the balloon ride business. The first requirement of a business like this is a good source of potential passengers, either from having a large population nearby or from being in a tourist area. This is why the location of your business is very important. In many countries it is possible to fly from city centres, depending on air traffic regulations. This may be of interest to you as an operator.
Alternatively, you may wish to base your operations in a very picturesque area regularly visited by tourists. Do your research and take the time you need to decide on the location. You may eventually choose to have more than one location depending on weather conditions and passenger availability. Small tourist operations can work almost anywhere in the world using exotic locations. Study the local weather conditions to make sure your business can operate there. It is no good having a large source of ready, eager passengers if it is too windy to fly 90% of the time.
Big or small?
The size of the business is up to you. There are many things to consider. Like other forms of business, it is possible to start with a small, part-time operation and gradually develop the business into a larger one. On the other hand, you could also choose to make a larger initial investment to work with a much bigger balloon and thus quickly penetrate the market in the area where you plan to operate.
Ultramagic offers the widest range of balloons available, and your local dealer or our customer service will be able to give you more practical information. We know the ride business very well, and you can be sure we will recommend just what your business needs without trying to force a sale at any cost.
Number of passengers?
With fares ranging from country to country between $100 and $400 per passenger, the number of passengers on each flight can have an incredible impact on profits. A smaller operation with a 105 balloon (105,000 cu ft or 3,000 m³) can be viable, but this type of business is very often combined with other forms of operation. A 180 balloon (180,000 cu ft or 5,100 m³) is considered a good size for a normal ride operation. Again, the more passengers you have, the greater the profit, so you could increase the size up to 250,000 cu ft and fly many more. However, you need to consider the local terrain and weather conditions, as the 180 might manage more flights than the 250, being smaller and slightly easier to operate.
Passenger availability on a fine day, the number of flyable days and convenient landing areas should all be considered when choosing the size of your ride balloon.