Depending on the care given, a balloon envelope may last 500 or more flying hours. Considering that most balloon pilots only fly 35-75 hours per year, most balloons will last a long time. The gondola will last much longer, perhaps thousands of flight hours with proper care.

All of are pilots are fully-trained and experienced commercially. Length of experience varies, but Ian Hooker has over 20 years of flying experience and Chris Davies over 15 years with over 1200 hours each.

When filled with helium a latex (rubber) balloon will usually last about 12 hours and then start to deflate. A foil (Mylar) balloon will usually last about 2 weeks and then start to deflate.

Depending on the care it is given, a balloon envelope may last 500 or more flying hours. Some colours are more resist to sun shine and the effect of heat ageing. In the past red has been particularly prone to early failures. Considering that most sport pilots fly from 35-75 hours a year, balloons do last a long time.

When filled with helium, a latex balloon will usually last twelve hours and then start to deflate. A microfoil balloon will usually last 4 to 5 days before it starts to deflate - very slowly.

The expected life of flowers can vary widely based on the type of flower and how they are cared for. Flowers such as Daisies, Carnations and Alstroemeria have a longer shelf life than more sensitive flowers such as Iris and Roses. We offer a 48 hour guarantee on our flowers. If you notice any flowers that are starting to wilt within the first 48 hours or the arrangement doesn't seem as fresh as it should be please let us know immediately.

Windswept Balloons brings 23 years of experience to the sport of ballooning, as well as a sense of adventure. We love what we do and are anxious to share the joy of ballooning with as many people as possible.

You certainly can. However, you may find the need of guidance to avoid pitfalls. You can always get hourly consultation just to check to see if you are on the right track. But, remember this is an exciting and fun time don't get bogged down with the shopping and budget detail. [ Back To Top ]

Balloon pilots prefer to fly early in the morning and late in the afternoon because winds are often light and predictable. During the middle of the day, winds normally increase and the air is less stable. Since balloons don't have wheels to land on, they are normally not flown unless the surface wind is less than 10 miles per hour. Balloons are not normally flown after sunset because most do not have lights.

Latex balloons have a limited life of about 18-24 hours for 11-12" pearlshine (metallic) balloons, so inflation should be done as close to the event time as possible. We are able to supply a product which can increase the float life of a helium inflated latex balloon.

Foil balloons will remain buoyant for about 2 weeks. They stay firm for the first 2-3 days and after may need slight re-inflation for firmness (not buoyancy), which can be done carefully with a straw and air.

The business was conceived in 2006, and is a start-up operation. Pilots and staff of Bella Balloons LLC are highly educated, honest, ethical, successful people who live in the community. Pilots range in experience, from several years to over 25 years with instructor ratings. We are extremely concerned with your safety and satisfaction. The survival of our small business rests on your referrals and return visits.

Balloons have been around for centuries.  The modern latex balloon that we are familiar with was invented in New England during the Great Depression. A chemical engineer named Neil Tillotson was attempting to make inner tubes using liquid latex, which was a new product.  He was having no luck.  In his frustration is cut out a cat's head and dipped it in the latex.  When it dried he found that he had a cat head.

Hot air balloons operate on the basic principles of gravity and heat transfer. The propane burners warm the air inside the balloon envelope to as much as 250 degrees F, thus allowing the pilot to take the balloon up to whatever altitude he or she desires. Gravity pulls us back to earth as the temperature cools down. Of course the pilot can continue heating the air to prolong the flight or to control the rate of descent.

One of the most popular ways of advertising with our balloons is to either create a banner with your company logo or message of your choice to fit our balloon, this banner can be placed on the side of the envelope or basket. The other frequently used technique for advertisers using hot air balloons is to set up a tethered flight right outside your location or event so that people are drawn to the location out of the sheer amusement of watching the balloon.