Frequently asked questions?
- How safe is our balloon?
- How fast do we fly?
- What should I wear?
- What sort of feeling of movement is there?
- Should I bring my camera?
- How early do we need to book?
- Is age of any consideration when taking the trip
- How often do we fly?
- Do I have to fly to join in the fun?
- What happens if the flight is postponed due to bad weather?
- When we've landed safely how do we get back to the collection point?
- Do you serve REAL Champagne on the flight?
Of all types of aircraft, balloon travel is by far the safest. Imagination has a 100% safety record and all our balloons, both small and medium sized are inspected annually and issued with certificates of airworthiness. We consider our equipment to be the best in the world.
We travel with the wind. As a rule the maximum forecast wind speed we fly in is 15mph at 2000 ft. The atmosphere is generally most stable first thing in the morning and late afternoon.
Sturdy flat shoes ideal for fields are essential, the ground is often quite damp first thing in the morning, so we recommend walking boots. If you are comfortably warm standing on the ground you should only require a light additional layer of clothing. It is recommended that you wear natural fabrics.
In the calm conditions in which we fly, the basket hangs motionless in the air current in which it is traveling. The feeling is one of remaining totally still as the countryside is wound by underneath you. Warm balmy evenings, often lazy in light or tranquil mornings, really special and fresh - the choice is always yours!
Of course! The fantastic launch sites that we fly from together with the beautiful Northumbrian countryside provide superb photographic opportunities. Just remember to bring a padded bag to protect your camera on landing and plenty of film
Diary bookings are made for the morning or evening before you fly, but it's always a good idea to book a good few weeks before hand. Remember that sometimes a number of attempts may have to be made before your adventure takes place.
Weekends are always the most popular. We will always advise you at the time, but what is best for you is always our priority. To minimize disruption we obtain detailed private forecasts from John Warner, our respected professional Meteorologist. We also use other sources including local aerodromes computer generated forecast information, and the Met. Office.
As long as you are tall enough to see over the top of the basket (roughly age ten and over) and healthy enough to stand for an hour, you can enjoy an Imagination® balloon flight.
Passengers undergoing any medical attention or treatment should also declare this both initially and throughout contact with our office. We regret that we do not fly pregnant women.
We fly as often as the weather permits and our season generally runs from March to October. We also fly during the winter, but less frequently as the condition of the ground is often a factor. Seasons vary, and often short bursts of flying culminate in a break in the weather so there's also the opportunity to call our office and book additional dates if our balloons have been in the air regularly.
Friends and family are invited to follow the retrieve vehicle by road (briefed by us) and their help with the inflation and pack away is always welcome. Younger children, when supervised, learn so much from the preparation and the launch, it's an experience that they should not miss!
Just call the bookings office and make another "attempt to fly date". Then keep trying until you finally go. In many cases we can give you a good idea of the likelihood of flying the day before so your disruption is minimized and you can get on with you're day.
To get into the spirit of the champagne that awaits, (and once permission is sought from our landowner whose co operation we always need) if you don't wish to go back with friends and family who may have been following, we provide complimentary transport in our fleet of all terrain Landrover vehicles back to the site. Our new Discovery 3's and 110's are perfect for getting our balloons airborne and are all meticulously maintained by a most amazing Dealer based in Coniston 
in the heart of the beautiful Lake District. The usually short journey back can just add to the fun, and all you do is relax enjoy yourself. If you have other questions, not answered above, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us (details on how on our contacts page) and we'll be delighted to help.
YES and its always vintage and perfectly chilled! In addition there are also soft drinks for those who don't wish to participate or who may be driving after the flight. Better still for those who want to commence the celebrations early and to really start things of with a 'zing', why not order one of our Beautiful Bespoke Champagne packs! More detailsof this fabulous gift pack on our Something Special page.
How safe are our balloons?
What should I wear?
Should I bring my camera and video?