HOW SAFE IS HOT AIR BALLOONING? In Ballooning, like any participatory activity, there is an inherent risk, but the most dangerous part of your flight might be the car ride to meet us. We have been flying balloons and aircraft since 1972 with an excellent safety record. "The Flying Aces" is an FAA registered aircraft, built by Head Balloons of Helen, Georgia, and is a one of a kind design by Chuck Vaughn. Chuck Vaughn has over 2,000 hours in all types of aircraft, much of that in hot air balloons since 1976, when he learned to fly from a former world champion hot air balloonist. Chuck attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Chuck possesses an "ATP" - Airline Transport Rating - the highest rating the FAA offers for single and multi-engine aircraft, as well as a commercial hot air balloon license for over 20 years. Regularly, Chuck will help the "big boys" flying the corporate balloons, like Famous Footwear, Disney, Longhorn Steakhouse and others.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT DURING MY FLIGHT? We fly with the wind on a one-way journey, much like a raft in a river of air. The crew follows us as we fly, meeting us when we set down. We fly with the wind, so you have little sensation of movement, it is unlike any other sensation in the air. No airsickness here. The view is unbelievable - you can see great distances from sunrise at the beach, downtown and west towards the forest, looking south you will see the St. Johns River. Except when the burner fires to heat the balloon, it is perfectly quiet. You can see animals and people on the ground and speak to them if you wish. Bring you friends along to take part in your adventure, they can help with the launch and recovery and partake of the festivities when your flight is completed. Cameras and video recorders are welcome, just remember - we are responsible for you, so you are responsible for your equipment. We fly from tree top level to several thousands of feet high. Usually we fly a few hundred feet above the trees, its more fun this way.

EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT THE WEATHER....BUT!! Mother nature has a big hand in everything to do with ballooning. Jacksonville is one of the oddest places in the nation to fly balloons. With the river on one side and ocean on the other, lots of wetlands, it could be perfectly good weather on one side of the city and bad on the other. Then there is the wind...passenger flights are flown in winds of less than 5 MPH. This is done for safety factors, in a balloon as fast as you fly is a fast as you STOP!!! We must have at least 3 miles of visibility to be "legal" to fly plus plenty of ceiling as we may need to change altitudes to best direct the balloon towards our landing site. Balloons are big, beautiful and wonderful to fly in and look at as long as they are flown in calm weather. That is why we fly at dawn, this is when the air is the calmest and the balloon is controllable. Wind not only goes side to side, but also up and down... that is called turbulence. We want to fly as badly as you do, so, please understand that the weather controls all!!! We have had all the unexpected adventures we need after 20+ years!

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