A gift certificate for a hot air balloon flight is a great gift idea! A ride in a hot air balloon is something people don’t forget.  Give the gift of adventure and memories that will last a lifetime.

Always choose a local hot air balloon company. Many companys on the web do not even own balloons. They pay for expensive web sites and sell gift certificates, then they try and get local companys to fly them.  They are usually given low priority with local companys. Most good local companys will not honor these certificates. Its also extreamly hard to get refunds. As you shop for flights make sure the company is local.

Keep in mind that if you are shopping for a discount rate. You don’t want a discount eye surgen, brain surgen, or discount balloon pilot. You always get what you pay for.

For most people a hot air balloon flight is a once in a lifetime experience. Its an adventure they will never forget. Lots of flights are purchased as gifts. Some people have creative ways of giving the gift of a balloon flight to someone special.  My wife had given a hot air balloon flight to her sister as a Christmas gift way before we met.  The way she presented it was very unique. 

1st: She took a picture of a balloon (you can use a copy off our websight). 

2nd: She glued it onto a piece of cardboard & wrote on the back of it….what the gift was.

3rd : She cut the cardboard picture into several puzzle pieces.

4th: Then wraped them in different size boxes with little things in the box (Hershey Kisses, roll of coins, ect) to throw her off if she shook the box…to guess the gift.

5th: She numbered the gifts in order … so she would not be able to guess the puzzle right away.  Her sister opened a gift a day until Christmas….when she opened the center puzzle piece that pulled it all together.  The anticipation was so much fun & they really enjoyed the entire process from gifts to the actual flight.

Other people has gone as far as blind folding the gift recipiant untill it was time to get them in the balloon.

One time we had a person purchase an exclusive flight.  They had us come and inflate the balloon in the cul de sac in front of the house.  Then they woke the person who was going for the flight.  We lifted off from right out side!

The son of a good friend of mine had me inflate in a green belt behind his girlfriends house. As I was inflating the balloon he called her and told her to come outside.  Then as we lifted off he had our crew unfold a banner on the ground that asked if she would go to the prom with him.  She will never forget that invitation!

Be creative, have fun with it and always give a gift that people will not soon forget

My balloon with a view

One of the most common questions we get asked is how old do you have to be to fly. My youngest passenger was my daughter at 4 months old. Now that was very young. It was a short flight and she was fine. She didn’t even cry. She had heard the burner noise since she was in her moms womb.  She has flown sevral times since then.  She likes to sit on the floor and look out the step hole of the basket.  She thinks it is her private window.  On the other end of the scale, my oldest passenger was 101 years old.  We flew him about two years ago now. Up until he came to fly my oldest was 99. She flew on her 99th birthday. So as you can see ballooning is for children of all ages!

Sky 12 over Squaw Peak

Over the past 25 years I have been flying I have become good friends with the Phoenix area helicopter pilots. Our area pilots are some of the best in the world.  They are also natural balloon pilots. Rick Crabbs the Fox Pilot and Scott Cliffton the News Hawk 5 pilot both have a hot air balloon rating as well as being helicopter pilots. When they are working they often come by to say hello or put me on the news.  The balloon makes for a great beauty shot.  Words can not describe the rush of watching a helicopter hover over 1000 feet in the air. And while they are shooting us, I am shooting them. I have a great photo collection of Media helicopters at work. Recently 3TVs Bruce Haffner and I where flying with an awesome sunrise and clouds in the distance.  It was a surreal view of squaw peak sticking out of the clouds as the sun came up.  The price of a hot air balloon $45,000  a media helicopter 2 million. Watching the sunrise over the mountains in Phoenix with some friends Priceless!

3TV Hot Air Balloon

There is no better way to check the weather then take a good look outside. Well the Channel 3 Forcasters have the best view in the Valley. The Channel 3 hot air balloon is a Cameron Z90. It is 90,000 cubic feet and almost 70 ft tall.

Weather is very important to a hot air balloon because balloons travel with the wind. At different altitudes, the winds are at different speeds and directions. The pilot uses these winds to help steer the balloon. The pilot can control the altitudes to steer the balloon to a good landing spot. Landing spots very. Balloons can land in a space the size of a cul de sac. So if you see us landing in a neighborhood near you come over and say hello. You can even get some hands on fun helping pack up the balloon .

The pilot of the TV3 balloon is Kevin Flanagan. He has been flying hot air balloons for over 21 years and has logged well over 5000 hours of time.

3TV Newscasters

If you ever wondered what it was like to fly in a balloon you can experience it for yourself. Kevin and his team will take you up in one of there balloons and give you an adventure of a lifetime. For flights or gift certificates you can contact Kevin at 2FlyUs.com or call (623) 583-1314.