A hot air balloon in the sky is a popular, beloved image for all. The amount of photos circulating the web shows this.

It is however a skill to capture the balloon on film, and tweak it to perfection. Such a skill was recently pointed out to us by a customer, Peter Webb. Peter had found images on Flickr showing our balloons being inflated in Salisbury. The photographer was called ‘F2′ and after uploading the images only yesterday, he’s had over 33 comments from the public viewing his photo’s and passing on messages of encouragement.

So a congratulations goes out to ‘F2′, which supposedly stands for Father of Two, and we thorougly recommend his site to our customers.

F2’s Flickr Site

Trying to book a date for that once in a lifetime experience has never been so easy. The Aerosaurus Balloons website allows you to book up to three dates for your hot air balloon flight as well as allowing potential customers to check flight availability before they purchase balloon flight vouchers.

To check Flight Availability all you need to do is chose your meeting location, and whether you want to fly in the morning or evening, and then you just click on ‘Check Availability’. Within seconds you’ll get real time information on flights with spaces still left on them.

Alternatively for customers with out Internet access you can call the office on 01404-823102 and speak to one of our team members who will read you out the flight dates and book you on your chosen selection.

Once passengers have chosen their date/dates we send them a handy little confirmation postcard via email or post for their own records. 

We are pleased to welcome our newest commercial pilot, John Dee Shapland. After flying in Dubai for the last two ballooning seasons and with a wealth of over 20 years of being a hot air balloon pilot we are proud to welcome him to the team.

Dee Shapland will be flying in the Cornwall and Devon area to ease the workload for the other pilot’s in these areas. To mark the event he flew an hour and a half private/exclusive balloon flight over Exeter and Cullompton this morning.

The first flight for our new 317 (317,000 cubic feet envelope) happened this week on Tuesday the 22nd of July in the evening.

Piloted by Athur Street (Operations Manager/Chief Pilot) it took of from the Cricket St. Thomas Wildlife Park (one of our flight meeting locations) and then flew for over an hour arround Chard and Somerset.

All 16 passengers that flew in the balloon thoroughly enjoyed it. To find out more information please visit Our Fleet page, which contains information on all our balloons.

Due to a increase in demand together with the need to constantly be keeping the fleet up to date, Aerosaurus Balloons have taken delivery of a additional 317,000 cubic foot, 16 passenger, Hot Air Balloon, Registration G-CFFL.

The balloon’s basket was made in Spain by Ultramagic, the burners in Italy by Bonanno and the envelope was made a bit closer to home, at Oswestry in Shropshire, by Lindstrad Hot Air Balloons. These companies were choosen as the major component suppliers owing to their worldwide reputations for high standards and quality.

Subject to final post delivery checks the balloon will have its maiden test flight within the next 2 weeks and then will go into service operating from sites in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset.

The main pilots will be Mandy Dickinson and Arthur Street who together have over 40 years experience worldwide of flying big balloons.

Operating 7 days a week, 2 flights per balloon per day this latest addition to the fleet increases Aerosaurus Balloons capacity to 81 passengers who can take to the skies over the Westcountry on each slot, ranging from 2 passenger exclusives to 16 passengers at a time on the daily scheduled flights. 

The photo is of the balloon having its pre-delivery inspection, inflated inside one of the giant dry docks at Cammell Laird shipbuilders, Birkenhead.