Pilot’s view on late afternoon hot air balloon flights

Being the owner of Air to Air Africa, I have valuable experience in the flying of hot air balloons. Today, I am a Senior Pilot which has come from flying advertising hot air balloons and Thermal Airships around South Africa since 1994.

After flying regularly in the late afternoon it is in my opinion that on any given day the sun will start to fade about 30 minutes after the winds have subsided. In turn this hinders the pilot’s view. It is for this reason that at Air to Air Africa, I only operate flights in the early hours of the morning when the sun begins to rise.

As balloons move with the wind, and land in unknown spaces, passengers and the pilot can be exposed to dangers whilst waiting for retrieval. However at Air to Air Africa, it is my job as an experienced pilot to ensure the safety of each and every passenger. My years of accumulated knowledge as well as the strict safety policies and equipment checks ensure that at no point before, during and after the hot air balloon ride, are passengers at risk.