HOW THE BALLOON WORKS
Hot air balloons are an ingenious application of basic scientific principles. Here we will show exactly how the balloon works, what makes it rise and fall and how a pilot is able to maneuver it when it is in the air.

The basis of how the balloon works is that warmer air rises in cooler air. This is because hot air is lighter than cool air as it has less mass per unit of volume. Mass can be defined by the measure of how much matter something contains. The actual balloon (called an envelope) has to be large as it takes such a large amount of heated air to lift it off the ground. For example, to lift 1000 pounds worth of weight you would need almost 65,000 cubic feet of heated air! To help keep the balloon in the air and rising, hot air needs to be propelled upwards into the envelope using the burner

THE BALLOON
You will normally meet shortly after dawn for a morning flight. This is because the wind is the calmest early in the morning and late in the afternoon. The wind is the most important factor when it comes to a balloon ride as the weather may seem fine early on in the day but wind speeds can change dramatically and this can mean the flight can be cancelled.

Due to weather conditions hot air balloon flights are sometimes cancelled at the last minute, requiring the flight to be rescheduled. Although this can be somewhat frustrating it is worth it when the flight finally does take off. There is nothing quite like riding in a hot air balloon!
The pre-flight setting up of the balloon is just as spectacular a show for the passengers as the actual flight itself as they are able to witness the impressive sight of the envelope being fully inflated.

The envelope is laid out flat and stretched out on as much land as possible. An inflator fan is placed at the neck and the balloon starts to fill up with air. The basket is then attached to the envelope and the burner secured in place. With the balloon now half full of air the burner can be fired up and the rest of the envelope is filled up in no time. The basket is constantly secured to the floor throughout this whole process, to make sure that the balloon doesn't take off without all the passengers.
Once the envelope is full the passengers make their way into the basket and when all the weight is fully balanced out the balloon is unsecured from the ropes holding it to the floor and the flight gets underway.

It's hard to describe the feeling of flying in the balloon, it's almost like a feeling of weightlessness, as if you are drifting along, floating on air. On a clear day you will be able to see for miles. The hot air balloon flight lasts for about 1 hour in total before the pilot will start looking for a safe place to bring the balloon in to land.

The landing is actually quite a bumpy affair. The pilot will bring the balloon down at a very slow rate and actually land it at a 45 degree angle to the floor. This is to help the basket lose speed and come to a halt quicker. The basket will actually end up on its side with all the passengers lying horizontal with their torsos sticking out of the top of the basket. There are side rail supports and ropes to hang on to make sure nobody falls out.

After everyone is safely out the envelope needs to be deflated and packed back up. The basket and now deflated envelope are then secured on to the van which will have been following the balloon's path. All the passengers are then driven back to the starting point for the certificate presentation and champagne reception.

HOT AIR BALLOON WEDDINGS
People all over the world are choosing to get married in hot air balloon; the couple will be married on the ground and then will go up in the balloon afterwards, celebrating their marriage whilst flying in the air.

WHEN IS THE FLIGHT :
Flights are in the early morning. The gentle and stable wind conditions are ideal during the first few hours of the day in Cappadocia. It is also the ideal time for photography, with splendid colors and contrasts.

WHERE DOES IT STARTS
Before Sunrise pick up from your hotel is arranged to transport you to the balloon. You fly over valleys of Cappadocia full of rock formations, fairy chimneys and natural beauty. Actual flight starts before sunrise and effective flight in the air is about 1 hour sometimes a little longer for a deluxe flight. Example: You wake up at 4:30am and you are back at the hotel around 8:30am.
There is a champagne celebration at the end of the flight.