About Us | Ballooning basics
The Basics of flying a hot air balloon
Pilots do not steer balloons in the same way you would steer a plane or a car. Balloons are dependent on the winds. Like a bubble of detergent, balloons are carried by the wind and their direction is determined by the direction of airflow. Prior to a flight, pilots will release small helium balloons to allow them to observe the wind's direction and speed. This allows the pilots to determine the direction of flight and choose an appropriate launch site.
While in flight, the pilots can control the altitude of the balloon very accurately. By flying at different altitudes, the pilots can use different wind speeds and directions to manoeuvre the balloon to where they desire, often with extreme accuracy.