Why Do Hot Air Balloons Fly In The Morning-Explained

Why Do Hot Air Balloons Fly in the Morning

You book a hot air balloon ride and are informed that you must fly early in the morning.

Calling a different ballooning firm yields the same result.

This is a little out of the ordinary, you think to yourself. What is it about early morning hot air balloon flights that makes them so popular?

During periods of low wind and calm air, hot air balloons will take to the skies. This encompasses both the early hours of the day and the hours leading up to sunset. Except in the case of calm weather, flights are extremely infrequent between those times.

If you have any queries regarding when you can plan your hot air balloon journey, don’t hesitate to contact us.

There are a number of factors that contribute to the fact that hot air balloons are only available for use at specific times of the day.

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Why Early Morning Hot Air Balloon Flights?

Winds are more consistent in the early mornings than they are in the afternoons.

We may take advantage of the consistent winds associated with the arrival of colder air immediately after daybreak by flying our hot air balloons first thing in the morning.

This implies that planes leave as soon as the sun comes up, between 4:30 and 6:00 a.m., depending on the time of year.

While temperatures may be cooler during the winter months, the balloon’s big burner gives plenty of delightful warmth as you rise up from the ground. During the winter months, temperatures may be colder.

Observing the local wildlife in the early hours of the morning is enjoyable!

We are lucky in that the bulk of our local animals, including kangaroos, birds, rabbits, and foxes, are more active in the early morning hours as they eat in open areas before sleeping during the day as the temperature increases in the afternoon.

Keep a look out for animals below as we soar over the Hunter Valley, as each flight is different from the last.

One of the rare Wedge Tail Eagles that live in this area could possibly come across you if you’re lucky!

Views of the sunrise that are very stunning

With no question, the most gorgeous time of day is when the sun comes up. Even though every morning is different, it’s always a good idea to keep your camera close by in case something interesting happens.

We are regularly treated to amazing sky colours and, on rare occasions, rainbows if rain has fallen in the hours before the aeroplane takes off.

As the sun rises over the horizon, the silhouettes created by other balloons as they soar into the sky are spectacular to behold.

The earth becomes warmer as the sun rises in the sky. This, on the other hand, does not occur equally throughout the surface of the earth.

The production of air thermals, which are rising air columns that originate on the ground, is caused by the warming of the atmosphere.

As the air rises, the air above the thermals is displaced, causing the thermals to disappear. Wind draughts can be blown in any direction as a result of this.

Cloud streets can also be formed as a result of convection rolls. Convection rolls are merely a sign that the chilly air has sunk lower in the atmosphere and the warm air has risen higher in the atmosphere.

You may recall that we talked about convection in our piece on hot air balloons flying in warmer or colder weather, which you can read here.

Warm air can reach great heights, but it will ultimately hit the atmosphere and be forced to cool down as a result of the pressure differential. During the cooling process, the heated air condenses, resulting in clouds.

New clouds, on the other hand, are prevented from developing by the chilly air that was previously lower in the sky and is now near to the clouds.

When Will Hot Air Balloons Be Able to Fly?

Starting with the foundations of how a balloon works, the idea behind it is fairly simple: hot air rises, and so does a balloon.

For the balloon to ascend, the pilot warms the air within the nylon envelope (the real balloon), which makes it less dense and hence lighter than the surrounding air, causing the balloon to rise.

The amount of buoyancy or lift that the balloon achieves is totally reliant on the temperature differential between the air inside the envelope and the surrounding atmospheric air, which is measured in degrees Celsius.

As a result, why isn’t this achievable during the working day?

When the weather is quiet, pilots of hot air balloons may accurately regulate the altitude of the balloon by heating or venting the inside air of the balloon.

During the day’s major half, however, the sun warms the earth, resulting in a phenomenon known as thermals (thermal waves).

These spiralling columns of rising warm air displace the air above them, resulting in up and down draughts that can occasionally impede the pilot’s ability to maintain control of the aircraft.

This mechanism can also result in the mixing of calmer, slower-moving winds closer to the earth’s curvature with normally faster-moving winds higher in the atmosphere.

Strong gusts and unpredictability are possible as a result of this type of mixing.

Why not Fly in the Afternoon or in the Evenings in a Hot Air Balloon?

It should be noted that none of this implies that it is impossible to fly a hot air balloon in the afternoon. It is undeniable that there are some exceptions, so let us have a look at them in further detail now.

Hot air ballooning in the afternoon during the winter months is the first season in which you may be able to do so.

The sun is visible in the winter, but its capacity to produce air thermals, which result in unexpected wind patterns for balloon pilots, is rarely sufficient in the winter.

Yes, if you’re interested in doing so, hot air ballooning is a summer activity rather than a winter one.

Despite the fact that we’ve talked about it on the site before, ballooning in the winter is a genuinely unique experience.

If the weather is cold, you should dress for the occasion; nonetheless, the heat created by the burner system above your head will keep you warm during the ride even if the sun is not shining brightly.

While ballooning is not often done in the winter, certain conditions may allow you to fly on a warmer afternoon in the summer.

It’s possible that your balloon pilot will give you the green light to fly on a cloudy summer or fall day if the sun hasn’t created any air thermals.

Weather that is overcast must be just cloudy. If there is a chance of rain or other severe weather, the balloon will not be launched.

The use of hot air balloons may be permitted on days with extremely little wind throughout the afternoon, but only on an exceptionally calm day.

Is it better to fly early in the morning or late in the evening?

You’d want to plan your hot air balloon journey immediately now that you’ve determined the two ideal times.

You’re torn between going ballooning first thing in the morning or later in the evening when the sun sets.

You want to provide your lover or family with an unforgettable experience. Which time period should you choose?

While you can’t go wrong either way, here are some of the benefits and drawbacks of flying early versus late in the day.

Pros & Cons of Early Morning Hot Air Ballooning

When you go hot air ballooning in the early morning hours, it’s as if someone has hit the pause button on the world around you.

This is due to the fact that many people are still sleeping and the ambience is calm and pleasant.

Relaxing in the gondola while taking in the breathtaking surroundings will be a highlight of your trip. Additionally, this is an excellent moment to picture or video from a height of several thousand feet above the ground.

Flights in the early morning hours of the morning are the best choice if you’re concerned about being turned into a sweaty mess by the heat created by the propane burners during a summer hot air ballooning trip.

The majority of summer mornings are pleasant until the sun comes up, even if the air contains some moisture.

If you’re afraid of flying, flying early in the morning will give you less time to ponder about ball-flying, which is another perk of early morning flights. Your physical and mental bodies are continuing to awaken.

It’s possible that you haven’t yet had your first cup of coffee, or that you’ve only had a cup or two already.

There was no window of opportunity to exploit your anxieties. You quickly realise that hot air ballooning is not quite as terrifying as you had anticipated once you are in the air.

Given that you are now back on the floor and that you entered the building so early in the day, you are free to do anything you want for the rest of the afternoon.

If you’re on vacation or travelling and need to get somewhere quickly, you’ll appreciate the availability.

Let’s start with the most obvious downside of early morning hot air balloon rides: they are expensive. That is to say, you must get up early in the morning.

It is up to the ballooning company to pick the exact time, but we think it will be in the early hours of the morning.

Being forced to get up earlier than you would want on a weekend or holiday to go hot air ballooning might be a hassle.

If you do not plan your morning activities wisely, you may find yourself on the balloon without having eaten anything.

Although motion sickness is rare on a hot air balloon ride, your stomach may feel upset if you do not eat during the flight.

More Relevant Information

Why are hot air balloons capable of flying at night?

No, hot air balloons are not permitted to fly at night under Federal Aviation Administration or FAA regulations.

The FAA maintains a Visual Flight Rules chart that requires visibility of at least one mile when ballooning, which is not always possible when flying at night.

How High can a Hot Air balloon reachA hot air balloon can go as high as 3,000 feet.

This is the standard for commercial hot air balloon rides that you may take while on vacation or experiencing a new activity in your community.

Is it uncomfortable and cold to ride in a hot air balloon?

Unless the ground is also icy, the answer is no. On morning flights, the ground surface will actually be colder than the altitude air.

This phenomenon is referred to as temperature inversion, and it is one of the reasons why early mornings are the best times to fly in these ingenious vehicles.