Hot Air Ballooning in the Flinders (PHOTO BLOG) Part 1

Take a “ride” with us through a 3 part Photo Blog series on our Hot Air Ballooning experience at the Flinders Ranges with Outback Ballooning.

To learn more about our time with Richard (our Pilot) See Hot Air Balloon Flight with Richard from Outback Ballooning

This is what 5:30am looks like at the Flinders Ranges. The sun is just “waking up”. Why are we wake at this “ungodly hour!” Clearly I’m not a morning person!

This is Outback Balloon giant hot air ballooning basket, this basket fits up to 12  people comfortably! Check out the “mean” looking burners and the 6 cylinders of gas…can never be too careful or have to much gas…or can you.

You can’t see it very well (sorry, not easy to take a photo in this light, trying to hold the camera still while shivering to death!) but the hot air balloon just keeps going!!!! but unpacking it was the easy part.

Richard had 2 strong volunteers hold up 2 ends of the balloon to help the huge fan blow cold air into the balloon.

The balloon is then blown up 3/4 of the way with cold air, then heated up with the burners the rest of the way. Saving on gas, as it would take a lot to get this huge balloon full of hot air, it does not take a huge amount of hot air to get the balloon in the air anyway. and if it is too hot Richard probably wouldn’t be able to make all of his checks.

The Balloon is slowly getting bigger and bigger, my excitement and fear levels are going up and up as the balloon gets bigger!

Richard  just walked in and out doing all of his checks, making sure that all of the lines were where they were supposed to be and not twisted. Can you spot him in the far back? It is truly amazing how big the Balloon got, its probably bigger than some peoples houses!  Maybe? who knows! But it was pretty big!

Not a great photo (sorry) but this shows the giant burners at work! Doing their best to heat the further 1/4 of the balloon up. Once you are near the burners you start to defrost and warm up a little.

The Giant burners heating up all that cold air in the balloon! So we can go up, up and away! After all its not called a cold air balloon, it a hot air balloon.

3 burners to make sure the balloon is hot enough! I think at one stage Richard had them all going at once. The Balloon starting to rise after adding some heat from the burners. Oh how exciting, not long now!

Up.. Up.. and almost away! This is the part where we had to literally run and jump into the Hot Air Balloon as otherwise it would take off without us! Where is the fun in that!

Keep your eyes pealed for Part 2 (the Flight) and Part 3 (packing up)

Have you ever been in a hot air balloon? Where did you go and how did you feel?

Please note:  Outback Ballooning has finished early for this season (2013). They may return next season