Welcome to cappadocia balloons!

How do balloons fly?
Balloons operate through the basic principles of gravity and heat transfer. As air inside the balloon is heated, it rises. As the air inside the balloon cools, it descends. To make the balloon fly, an inflator fan fills it with air, which is then heated. 

What are the main parts of a hot air balloon? 
A hot air balloon has three major parts: the envelope, the burner, and the basket (or gondola). The basket is where passengers ride. Usually made of wicker, baskets protect the occupants and are lightweight and flexible. The burner is positioned above the passengers' heads and produces a huge flame to heat the air inside the envelope. The envelope is the colorful fabric bag that holds the hot air. When the air inside the envelope is heated, the balloon rises. To descend, the pilot allows the air to cool and the balloon becomes heavier than air. The pilot has complete control of the up-and-down movements by controlling the heat in the envelope. 

What are envelopes made of? 
Rip-stop nylon is the most common material, but polyester and other fabrics are also used. The fabric around the lower opening (called the mouth) of the balloon are usually made from a fire resistant material like Nomex, similar to the suits that firefighters wear. 

What is a balloon basket made of?
Woven wicker is used because it is lightweight, flexible and easily repaired. It also looks nice! 

Are all hot air balloons alike?
All hot air balloons consist of a burner system, a basket and an envelope. The differences are in the shape and size of the envelope, the deflation system, the basket shape and design and the configuration, design, and number of burners. 

How long will balloons last?
Depending on the care given, a balloon envelope may last 500 or more flying hours. The basket will last much longer, perhaps thousands of flight hours with proper care. 

Can you steer a balloon?
Winds determine a balloon’s direction. The pilot can steer a balloon, to a limited extent, by adjusting the balloon’s altitude to make use of different wind speeds and directions. 

How many people can ride in a hot air balloon?
Our balloons' capacities range from a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 21 passengers. 

How long does a balloon flight last?
This depends on the type of flight. The standard flight lasts approx. 1 hour and the deluxe flight lasts approx. 1 hour 30 min. 

What fuel do balloons use?
Our hot air balloons carry up 80 litres of propane in stainless steel fuel tanks. 

How high do balloons fly?
Balloons normally fly below 2000 feet, all within Federal Aviation Regulations. At these altitudes you will be able to observe people and animals as time appears to stand still for awhile. 

How safe is a balloon? 
Hot air ballooning is considered one of the safest forms of flying. Serious accidents are rare. 

What happens if the burner goes out?
If the burner goes out, the first burner would be reignited. If that did not work, there is Fire Two that can be relied on to fly the balloon. If that fails, there is a third burner! If there were no burners, the balloon would land at about the same rate as a parachute. 

What happens if a bird flies into a balloon? 
Balloons are so large that most birds avoid them. The envelope fabric is much tougher than it might appear and a bird would likely bounce off if there were a collision! Balloon manufacturers have performed tests, and it is possible to fly a balloon with a hole large enough for a man to go through as long as the hole is not at the top of the envelope.

How long does it take to inflate and deflate the balloon? 
Our ground crew can inflate and launch a balloon in fifteen minutes or less. It takes about the same amount of time to deflate and pack up the balloon after the flight. 

Do you need a pilot's license?
Yes. All our pilots have official licenses from the Turkish Civil Aviation and international civil aviation authorities.

Why do we fly in the early morning?
We fly during the first few hours after sunrise because this is the calmest, coolest part of the day. This allows for soft landings and maximum lifting capacity of the balloon. In addition, there is the splendor of a beautiful sunrise. 

The whole experience lasts 3 to 4 hours, so you will have the rest of the day to enjoy the many attractions of Cappadocia. 

What do I wear and bring? 
Depends on the season. We fly in the winter too! 

For summer: jeans or casual trousers and flat heeled shoes. For winter: Layer warm clothing, winter jacket etc

Although we usually land close to a road, you may be walking through fields. It is no colder in the balloon than on the ground, yet you may wish to bring a light jacket. Layered clothing is best. Bring your camera and lots of film. Our crew will be happy to take pictures of you in the balloon. 

How passengers stay in basket?
Passengers normally stand in the basket during the flight. But don't worry, the basket is chest high!

Where do we go?
We go where the wind takes us. The sky is layered with air currents, so the pilot heats the air inside the balloon with the burner to rise into currents with different directions. 

Where do we land? 
We are welcome to land in the many open fields in the area we fly over. Your pilot will begin the gentle descent when he finds an appropriate landing site where we are met by our experienced ground crew. 

What about weather condition?
Before we fly, we check the wind speed. Generally, we fly when there are wind speeds of less than 10 miles per hour.

Is age a consideration?
Our flight is not recommended for children under 10 or adults approaching 80. 

What does it feel like?
Once aloft you will notice no turbulence or wind movement as you become one with the air currents. Much more subtle than an elevator ride, the feeling is one of peace as you drift over treetops and float over the countryside in gentle, panoramic harmony with nature. Some passengers describe the feeling as "romantic" while others tell us it's "gentle and calm." 

Do you have Insurance?
Yes. All passengers are insured up to 1,000,000 EURO by the world-wide insurance company, Allianz, in Turkey.

What is the difference between a Deluxe Tour and a Standard Tour?
Our deluxe tour offers a comfortable and intimate setting in which to enjoy the fairy chimneys. The balloons used for the deluxe tours hold bet ween 10 to 12 passengers giving you more room to enjoy your flight. This flight lasts approximately 1 hour 30 min. ensuring that you see all this incredible area has to offer.

Our standard tour uses our larger balloons. This means your flight will have any where from 16 to 21passengers. This flight lasts approximately 1 hour. Although shorter than our Deluxe Tour, the standard tour still offers you enough time to see the unique beauty of this area.