A hot air balloon ride is a once in a lifetime experience.
Getting to experience the views and see a view of your town and neighborhood from high up above can be breathtaking.
Hot air balloon rides are not something every person will get to do in their lifetime.
Because of this, there are lots of questions that come up regarding these hot air balloons.
If you have a fear of heights or are trying to do your calculations as to how safe a hot air balloon ride is, then we encourage you to keep reading.
How High Can Hot Air Balloons Go?
A hot air balloon can go as high as 3,000 feet.
This is the standard for commercial hot air balloon rides that you may take while on vacation or experiencing a new activity in your community.
The hot air balloons tend to fly between 1,000 and 3,000 feet.
This is done not just for the person to see the sights but also for the air traffic to be sorted out.
Another reason hot air balloons are asked to fly between 1,000 and 3,000 feet is for the safety of the people on the ground as well.
When a hot air balloon is taking off or landing, it will not be in a highly-populated area.
The law is to stay more than 1,000 feet above the ground when going through an area where there are a lot of people.
As balloons start to get higher up, they are exposed to more harsh conditions.
This is unfortunate and part of the reason hot air balloons can’t go much higher than 3,000 feet for these commercial flights.
When you take a hot air balloon ride, you will probably see that the flights are only offered in the early morning and the late afternoon.
This is done to try and keep the winds down and the skies calmer as you fly.
The hot air balloons do just fine while flying in calm conditions, but they will struggle when things get windy or more turbulent.
A hot air balloon ride once flew to 68,986 feet.
This was done to set a record, and it is not going to be the norm for a typical commercial hot air balloon flight.
Is 3,000 Feet High for a Hot Air Balloon Ride?
If you have never been on a hot air balloon ride, you may be a bit nervous about how high 3,000 feet is.
At 3,000 feet, you are certainly going to feel as though you are very high up in the sky.
When you are in a hot air balloon, you are very exposed.
This is not to say that planes are safer than hot air balloons, but they feel more enclosed and stable than the balloon does.
The hot air balloon is essentially a woven basket floating 3,000 feet above the land.
For people who are afraid of heights, a hot air balloon ride may not be a pleasant experience.
Once you are up in the hot air balloon, you will feel very exposed to the elements and very free in nature.
This is part of the reason most people love a hot air balloon ride, but it could be something that makes you want to get down in a hurry.
Be sure you seriously consider your desire to head up into the sky before you sign up for a hot air balloon ride.
The last thing you want to do is spend all that money on an experience which ends up terrifying you.
There are lots of adventurous activities you can participate in while on the ground.
How High Can Hot Air Balloons Go Before Oxygen Is Needed?
A hot air balloon can go up to 12,000 feet before oxygen is needed.
If you have signed up for a hot air balloon ride on your next vacation, you won’t have to worry about oxygen.
The hot air balloon you take will stay well below the 12,0000 feet that would require oxygen.
Hot air balloons are not designed to be flown that high above the ground.
When you get ready for a day on a hot air balloon, you will not need to remember to pack your oxygen.
You can bring a camera, some comfortable clothes and potentially a sweater, but the oxygen won’t be necessary.
Hot air balloon pilots are incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to heading up in the air.
If you have any questions or concerns, you should ask them to find out what they think is the best option.
How Far Can a Hot Air Balloon Go?
The only thing that is going to limit how far a hot air balloon ride can go is the amount of fuel used.
If a hot air balloon needs to go for a very long distance, it will have to carry the proper amount of fuel.
Although the propane used to fuel a hot air balloon is not heavy, it is also not light.
A hot air balloon can reach a point that the fuel to carry it starts to get too heavy.
Most hot air balloon rides you will take are only going to be a few miles.
The way the hot air balloon business works can be a bit complex, and when people go for very long rides, it tends to throw things off a bit.
For instance, once your hot air balloon takes off, it will very likely not land in the same place.
The balloon will take you several miles away to a secondary site where the balloon will land.
At this spot, you will likely be shuttled back to the original location to retrieve your belongings and your car.
The wind currents and the altitude steer hot air balloons.
Hot air balloon pilots can navigate the balloon depending on the conditions in the sky, but it is not quite the same as steering.
A few miles at a time seems to be plenty to get a view of the sky and the world below and to enjoy your time on the hot air balloon ride.
Most people are not using hot air balloon rides as a means of transportation.
Instead, they are more of a sightseeing type of activity.
How Long Do Hot Air Balloon Rides Last?
A typical hot air balloon ride is going to last around one or two hours.
There are longer tours you can take, but it is best to start with a shorter ride most of the time.
The shorter rides allow you to see if you really like a hot air balloon and if this is something you want to do again in the future.
A one- to two-hour hot air balloon ride will take up several hours of your time.
You will have to be at the launch area well before the hot air balloon taking off.
This is so that safety procedures can be discussed, and the hot air balloon can be properly tested prior to heading out.
When your hot air balloon lands, you will still need to be transported back to the staging area, and that could take another half hour or so.
Even though the ride itself will not last all that long, be sure to plan for enough time to make sure you can enjoy the entire experience.
Chances are you will not be alone on your hot air balloon ride, and there will be other people on the ride with you.
After a few hours’ time, everyone will be ready to have their own space again.
Do You Get Motion Sickness in a Hot Air Balloon?
If you are one of those people who struggles with sudden movements and how it may make you feel, the hot air balloon is a great choice to consider.
A hot air balloon ride is not something that will cause you to experience motion sickness.
Luckily, hot air balloons provide a relatively smooth ride.
The only time things tend to get a bit bumpy is during takeoff and landing.
Certainly, the time spent taking off and landing is short enough that you will be over this in a matter of seconds.
Talk to the hot air balloon pilot before takeoff if you usually experience motion sickness as he may have some options or ideas to help you.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what is involved in a hot air balloon ride.
Hot air balloons do not go as high as airplanes, however, considering you are most exposed when in a hot air balloon, it will feel very high.
You will have an unobstructed view of the world around you, and the sights are truly unique in every way.
Seeing footage from a hot air balloon ride and being on one are two completely different experiences.
If you think you can manage these heights, you will certainly enjoy your experience.
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