A Few FAQ’s:

You should dress to suit the season. You won’t be warmer or cooler during the flight than you would be on the ground. You should also choose footwear that’s suitable for walking through country fields — no high heels or open-toe shoes.

We understand that sometimes it may be necessary to cancel or postpone a flight.  However, we request that you contact us as soon as you are aware of the need to cancel or postpone.

We request a minimum of 24 hours notice of any cancellation or postponement, as this gives us the opportunity to fill your spot in the balloon.  We will be happy to re-book your flight for your next desired date.

We pride ourselves in making this a memorable and personal experience for each passenger.  If your cancellation notice is less than 24 hours prior to your scheduled flight, this will culminate in a loss of money, time and effort in preparation for us.

At this time, we do not require a deposit for our flights because our passengers have been respectful of this fact.  We appreciate your understanding and consideration of these details if you must cancel.

Flights usually last 45 minutes to over an hour, but we suggest you allow up to three hours for the whole excursion. This will include set–up, flight, pack-up, champagne or non-alcoholic beverage toast, as well as travel back to the launch site.

Our flying area is:  Catskills, Hudson Valley, Cooperstown, Oneonta, and many Up State NY festivals.

Yes, it is a requirement that each passenger must read and sign a release form prior to his/her flight.  For your convenience, we have made this form available for viewing and downloading Balloon NY Waiver Form.  Please take the time to review the form.  PLEASE BRING THE SIGNED WAIVER WITH YOU ON THE DAY OF YOUR FLIGHT.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Balloons don’t have any means of controlling lateral movement so they go wherever the wind takes them. The adventure of Ballooning is not knowing your destination prior to departure. During the flight, the pilot will select a landing site and bring you safely back to mother earth.

Balloon flights typically begin within an hour of sunrise or during the two hours prior to sunset. We do not fly during the day because the air is turbulent with thermal winds. In the winter these winds are not as strong and can sometimes fly later in the day.

The choice of the launch site will vary depending on the wind direction at the time of the flight. We want to go in a direction where we know there will be a fair selection of landing sites. We are fortunate that, In the Catskill and Hudson Valley region we have a variety of launch sites that suit the various wind directions.

Conditions that can prohibit a flight are: rain, fog, low cloud cover, too much wind or not enough wind. We consider wind speed in excess of 9 knots as the upper threshold for safety. Even at that, launches and landings can be hazardous. Each pilot will make his or her own decision whether it is safe to fly on your scheduled date. Not enough wind? Unlike too much wind, we like to give our clients a nice scenic flight. As you might imagine, an hour or so going nowhere isn’t much of an adventure. We know that having that special flight postponed can be a disappointment, but we have a saying in ballooning: “ It is better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than to be in the air wishing you were on the ground!”

Call us at 607-435-9839, e-mail BalloonNY@aol.com or use the Reservation Form provided on this site. If you have a special day in mind it’s best to book as soon as possible. If the weather is uncooperative on the selected day, we can arrange an alternate date. Balloons can fly any time of the year and each season has its own particular attractions. The choice is yours!