What should I wear & bring?

Wear casual clothing (jeans & jacket), clothes that can get a little dirty, and sturdy footwear.  A hat is also advisable.  Don’t forget your camera and plenty of film or be sure to empty your digital camera’s memory card!

What happens on the morning of the flight?

We meet passengers about one hour prior to sunrise.  After coffee and a briefing you will be taken on-board our vehicles to the launch site where you are invited to help with the inflation of the balloon.  Once inflated everyone climbs aboard the balloon and we fly for 45mins – 1 hour, and our retrieve crew will follow us and meet us at the landing site.  Once the balloon is packed away you will be taken to the breakfast venue for a sumptuous breakfast with champagne.

Are there any restrictions on flights (e.g. age, pregnant)?

We have restrictions for age under our regulator CASA, we recommend children to be at least 7 years old so they can best enjoy the flight. People who are pregnant are not able to fly. We do have some weight restrictions on balloons, if you think this may affect you please contact our office!

What are hot air ballooning limitations & accessibility?

Hot air ballooning is a physical activity and adventure, the requirements of the flight are being able to jump into the basket (around 1.2m high), whilst standing in the air for up to 90 minutes. We do have assistance available so be sure to check with our office before booking or flying. If any of this concerns, please check with your GP & our office and we can talk you through the morning to make sure you will be comfortable. We do not currently have wheelchair access.

How long does it all take?

Please allow 4-5 hours for the whole morning’s experience.

What about the weather?

Please keep in mind that the forecast that you see on the television is a forecast for Perth and may not necessarily reflect the conditions for ballooning in Northam on the morning of the flight.  Our flights take place at sunrise when the air is remaining cool and stable, and not affected by the day’s wind currents. This time is during the first hour after sunrise and it is what we call our “Weather Window”. Our flying area in the Avon Valley has been chosen not only for its picturesque rural landscape, but also for the excellent conditions for ballooning at sunrise.  This can mean that some mornings may prove to be flyable even when the forecast for the rest of the day may not be promising.  If we know in advance that the weather will not be suitable for ballooning we will contact our passengers by 1pm the day prior if we are going to cancel early.

When is the flying season?

Our season is from April through till late November.  The hot and windy summer weather in WA is unsafe for ballooning.  During the season we schedule flights every day.

Will I be cold during the flight?

Normally it is no colder in the balloon than it is on the ground, and some days it can be warmer once airborne and above the colder and calmer layer of air sitting on the surface in our valley.  Because the balloon moves with the wind there is little or no wind chill experienced during flight.

How high does the balloon fly?

Most flights we usually get as high as 2000 feet above sea level for a look around, however this will depend on the wind speed and direction at altitude on the morning of flight.  The joy of ballooning is being able to fly low, to pick leaves from the tree tops and skim across rivers and dams.  This is what makes ballooning very unique compared to other forms of aviation.

Will I be scared of heights?

Ballooning is one of the most natural and safest feelings you will ever experience.  It is very different to looking over the edge of a tall building or a cliff.  Some of our pilots actually have a fear of heights and avoid working on the roof of their houses, but in the balloons they don’t have any problems.  Your pilot will aim to stay low for the first 10 minutes of the flight to allow all passengers to relax and see how gentle ballooning really is.  If you find you have a problem during the flight the pilot can always land the balloon somewhere to let you hop out (although no one ever wants to hop out once they are aloft).  There is an aura of calmness that seems to come over everyone onboard including the most nervous of passengers.

Will I experience motion sickness?

Ballooning is one of the most natural and safest feelings you will ever experience.  It is very different to looking over the edge of a tall building or a cliff.  Some of our pilots actually have a fear of heights and avoid working on the roof of their houses, but in the balloons they don’t have any problems.  Your pilot will aim to stay low for the first 10 minutes of the flight to allow all passengers to relax and see how gentle ballooning really is.  If you find you have a problem during the flight the pilot can always land the balloon somewhere to let you hop out (although no one ever wants to hop out once they are aloft).  There is an aura of calmness that seems to come over everyone onboard including the most nervous of passengers.

How safe is ballooning?

At Windward we are proud of our long term safety record which is a feat that is unparalleled by any ballooning company in Australia.  Our pilots are fully licensed Commercial Balloon Pilots with many years experience and all of our operations are conducted in strict accordance with the rules and regulations of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).  Just like Qantas and Virgin Blue we hold an Air Operators Certificate issued by CASA and we are audited by their operations inspectors on a regular basis.  Our fleet of balloons are all no more than 10 years old and are fully maintained in accordance with the manufacturers periodic maintenance schedules and CASA requirements.  At Windward your safety is our priority!