British School of Ballooning

02/11/2022

We received a lovely email from passengers who flew with us this summer on their first attempt:
''My wife, Sue, organised a flight for us with the British School of Ballooning for my 60th birthday present. It was a fabulous experience that I would highly recommend. We flew from Hellingly to just the other side of Uckfield, about an hour in the air with an excellent pilot called Gavin. We got to help with the launch and the pack down. The views were stunning, from across to the coast and the sea beyond, the Downs, the fields and forests, lakes, wind farms, solar farms and then Uckfield with an allotment on the outskirts, before a precise and perfect landing on a private air strip, rounded off by a glass of fizz after the pack-down and transport back to our car at the launch site. A sublime and delightful flight with a great crew and charming fellow passengers.''

If you would like to give the gift of a balloon flight voucher for a special occasion, please take a look at the offers available on our website

14/08/2022

Beautiful morning for a balloon flight over West Sussex. Thanks to Dean for sending us the photos

16/07/2022

Great view from a recent flight launching from West Meon, Hampshire. You can see the south coast in the distance.

13/07/2022

Thank you to Greg Baker for sending us these photos. He said it was lovely to see the balloons early in the morning whilst he was fishing!

18/05/2022

A recent email from passengers who flew last weekend -
''Please can you pass on my thanks to Richard our pilot and Mark the ground crew, for the most amazing hot air balloon flight last Saturday.

It truly was a fantastic experience and one for the memory bank, especially as it was for my birthday. The whole family felt safe under their guidance, they were extremely professional and knowledgeable about everything. The experience was so much better than I imagined. The flight was so smooth and that included the landing!

I would highly recommend them both to others.

Thank you again''

26/04/2022

Great comments received after a recent flight -
I would just like to say on behalf of P and myself a big thank you to you and Gavin, our pilot yesterday morning, for a wonderful experience throughout. I was driving home from work today and can honestly say I don't think I will see trees in the same way ever again! My personal madness aside, thank you all again for the great trip as well as the above and beyond service you have all provided this last what has been almost 3 years since this was booked during a difficult time I'm sure and so pleased to have finally experienced this.

Thank you again, my photo's certainly got a few 'wow's at work today!

28/05/2021

05/05/2021

BALLOON CREW VACANCY – full time – start beginning of June
We have a vacancy for full time balloon ground crew operating near to Petworth for our balloon flights over West Sussex.
This year our flying season will start early June and run to mid/late – October.
This is a role that will be ideal for a practical person who enjoys the outdoors. The person needs to be reliable, physically fit, and good with public and landowners. Experience of towing a trailer is essential, able to map read with a clean driving licence. Flights are scheduled early mornings and evenings on weekdays and weekends but please note are subject to weather.
Own transport required due to the rural location of our operational bases. You will be driving our 4x4 vehicle with 16 foot trailer for the retrieve of the balloon.
Hours/days - various dependant on weather but typical start time in June is 4am for morning flights and 5pm for evening flights.
Average of £10.00 per hour
Further important information about the role:
In addition to a full UK driving license you must have Categories B+E on your driving license (shown alongside the pictures on the reverse of your photo id license) to enable you to tow our balloon trailers which are over 750kg. If you first passed your driving test in the UK after 1st January 1997 there is an additional trailer test that you must have taken to gain this entitlement.
To apply for this role please click 'apply now' and attach your CV and include driving and towing experience.

29/04/2020

Please help with the covid-19 symptom self reporting - it's very quick and easy to do. To help support this important initiative, they need more volunteers using the app. You can even report on behalf of older relatives in the app.
See https://www.facebook.com/joinzoe1/?__tn__=%2Cd%3C-R&eid=ARAqgZl-DXc8HGPcb1ELqH5cUrq6wdND-KLDJ2IASxkdooQQjOwuZXtVwxp8gO1qR2wNPz-mrQ9xQh07

We run the largest in-depth nutritional science study to help you reach your best health.

15/04/2020

What an amazing man, such an inspiration to us all. He was hoping to raise £1000 - he has now raised over £7,000,000 in a couple of days.
Read his story here https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tomswalkforthenhs

Help Captain Tom Moore raise money to support NHS Charities Together

14/04/2020

Hopefully it won't be too long before we can take you flying in a sky as beautiful as this, but until we can we hope you stay safe and well

21/05/2019

Thanks to Jaqi for the photos taken on 12th May www.therealjaqnicholson.com

07/05/2019

We have a vacancy for balloon ground crew operating from our base at Petworth for our balloon flights over West Sussex. Our flying season starts now and runs to mid/late – October.

This is a part time role that will be ideal for a practical person who enjoys the outdoors. The person needs to be reliable, physically fit, and good with public and landowners. Experience of towing a trailer is essential, able to map read with a clean driving licence. Flights are scheduled evenings on weekdays and at the weekends but please note are subject to weather. In West Sussex we probably schedule around 4 to 6 possible flights a week, of which around 50% will go ahead.

Own transport required due to the rural location of our operational base. You will be driving our 4x4 vehicle with 16 foot trailer for the retrieve of the balloon.

Hours/days - various dependant on weather but typical start time is 5pm for evening flights.

Average of £10.00 per hour

Further important information about the role:

In addition to a full UK driving license you must have Categories B+E on your driving license (shown alongside the pictures on the reverse of your photo id license) to enable you to tow our balloon trailers which are over 750kg. If you first passed your driving test in the UK after 1st January 1997 there is an additional trailer test that you must have taken to gain this entitlement.

If you apply for this role please let us know your towing experience.

16/01/2019

This photo was taken on a recent training flight in Hampshire. Odiham Castle (also known locally as King John's Castle) is a ruined castle situated near Odiham in Hampshire. It is one of only three fortresses built by King John during his reign. Built 1207-1214, the site was possibly chosen by King John because he had visited the area in 1204 and it lay halfway between Windsor and Wi******er.

16/03/2018

DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS SUMMER!
We have vacancies for full time and part time balloon ground crew for our Sussex balloon flights and operating from our base near Brighton. To start early April and finishing at the end of our flying season in Mid October.
No previous ballooning experience necessary.
This is a role that will be ideal for a practical person who enjoys the outdoors. The person needs to be reliable, physically fit and good with public and landowners. Experience of towing a trailer is essential, able to map read with a clean driving licence. Flights are scheduled mornings and evenings, weekdays and weekends but please note are subject to weather. Around 50% will go ahead.
Own transport required due to the rural location of our operational base. You will be driving our 4x4 vehicle and towing a trailer for the retrieve of the balloon.
Hours/days - various dependant on weather but typical start time is 5am for morning flights and 5pm for evening flights.

Further important information about the role:
In addition to a full UK driving license you must have Categories B+E on your driving license (shown alongside the pictures on the reverse of your photo id license) to enable you to tow our balloon trailers which are over 750kg. If you first passed your driving test in the UK after 1st January 1997 there is an additional trailer test that you must have taken to gain this entitlement.

For more information or to apply please email [email protected]

25/12/2017

Wishing you all a merry Christmas and happy and healthy 2018

27/06/2017

Landing at South Warnborough, Hampshire

27/06/2017

photo from a recent Hampshire flight, taking off from Alton

14/03/2017

Do you or anyone you know fancy doing something different this summer? Full time or part time.
We have a vacancy for balloon ground crew operating from our base at Petworth for our balloon flights over West Sussex.

This is role will be ideal for a practical person who enjoys the outdoors. The person needs to be reliable, physically fit, good with public and landowners. Experience of towing a trailer is essential, able to map read with a clean driving licence. Flights are scheduled mornings and evenings, weekdays and weekends but please note are subject to weather. In West Sussex we probably schedule around 4 to 6 possible flights a week, of which around 50% will go ahead.

Own transport required to reach the rural location of our operational base, then driving our 4x4 vehicle with a trailer. To start Mid – April and finishing at the end of our flying season in Mid/Late – October.

Hours/days - various dependant on weather but typical start time is 5am for morning flights and 5pm for evening flights.
Average of £10.00 per hour.

Further Important information about the role.
In addition to a full UK driving license you must have Categories B+E on your driving license (shown alongside the pictures on the reverse of your photo id license) to enable you to tow our balloon trailers which are over 750kg. If you first passed your driving test in the UK after 1st January 1997. there is an additional trailer test that you must have taken to gain this entitlement.

Please email your CV to [email protected]

22/12/2016

There's still time to buy your loved one a balloon flight voucher for Christmas. You can buy through our website, choose 'email' for delivery and the voucher pack will be with you in a few minutes. www.hotair.co.uk

22/12/2016

test inflation recently, with a very cute spectator!

06/11/2016

Landing at Hapton Park

04/11/2016

Flying over Loseley Park recently

02/11/2016

Peeping through the clouds to see our balloon flying last Sunday