How Much Does A Hot Air Balloon Cost To Buy
The second most costly and important part of the balloon is the basket. Baskets are typically chosen based on the number of passengers they can hold and their weight. While commercial flyers care about the capacity of the basket, racers care more about the weight.
how much does a hot air balloon cost to buy
The reason that hot air balloon rides cost a few hundred dollars per person is that balloons cost quite a bit to purchase, operate, and maintain. Also, there are only a few operators in the whole state with limited capacity!
Storage and RentHot air balloon envelopes fold down and are much smaller than when inflated; however, baskets are huge and heavy! Being in Seattle, it rains quite often, and we are required to have heated storage to keep our equipment in perfect shape. We have a large balloon port in Enumclaw, Washington, where we store all 7 of our hot air and gas balloons along with multiple open and enclosed trailers. If you have never been up close to a hot air balloon basket of a hot air balloon, they are substantial and weigh a ton! Our largest hot air balloon that carries up to 12 passengers weighs over 1250lb when full of fuel.
Is owning a hot air balloon worth all the costs associated with it? Well, for your average person, probably not. Hot air balloons cost a lot and require far more specialized maintenance and care than something like a car or motorcycle. Not many people have the time or funds to maintain a hot air balloon.
Keep in mind that most of the costs mentioned in this article are unavoidable. There might be some ways you can save money, like if you buy a used hot air balloon, but most of the expenses mentioned are necessary.
An average hot air balloon that carries two passengers will cost around $25,000. Buying a hot air balloon that is used can cut that cost significantly. Many used hot air balloons that carry two passengers cost around $10,000. Of course, because of the multiplicity of ways to get a hot air balloon, costs could be much higher or much lower.
If you have always wondered how much does a hot air balloon cost then look no further! As you might expect, the cost of a hot air balloon can vary drastically. Much like buying a car, there is significant variety in manufacturers and models of balloon which consequently all have different prices attached. Additionally, there is a highly active second-hand market for balloons which can bring the cost down for pilots. But generally speaking, a typical hot air balloon cost anywhere between 80,000 and 250,000 from new.
Traditionally hot air balloons are tear-drop shaped. However, in some circumstances they are shaped to represent a character or an object, for example the Chubb fire extinguisher pictured below. As you might expect, these one-off projects come at a premium price and can cost up to 400,000 depending on the extent of the intricacies and size. Similarly, many special shape hot air balloons are commissioned by sponsors for promotional purposes, which brings the cost down significantly.
To fly a hot air balloon can cost different amounts depending on how long each flight is, for example, a litre of propane can cost $2, so if you fly your hot air balloon on average you will use around 35 gallons which could cost you $50.
Overall, hot air balloons are very expensive to purchase and can set you back between $20,000 and $50,000 depending on if you buy a sport-sized balloon or a commercial type of hot air balloon. You should also consider other factors such as the insurance, pilot license and ground staff which are all contributing costs to operating a hot air balloon.
All balloons must meet FAA safety regulations and are required to have a certificate of airworthiness. Balloons must undergo annual and 100-hour inspections, fees vary for this inspection, a good ballpark cost for inspections is $350. They must also undergo regular maintenance to ensure safety on rides. Maintenance and repair work should be performed by an FAA-certified shop to ensure the balloon will continue to meet regulatory standards. If properly maintained, a new balloon will last anywhere from 300-500 hours before it needs to be replaced or significantly repaired.
Are you a balloon enthusiast? Do you wish to buy a hot air balloon of your own? Do you not want to overstep your budget? If that is the case, you must want to know how much a hot air balloon generally costs.
Buying hot air balloons fresh from the manufacturer is an expensive ordeal, but the balloon will be yours. A new balloon will not require maintenance, which slightly masks up the low cost of a used one.
The right approach to buying a new hot air balloon is to approach manufacturers and get their cost quotes. For this section, we will give cost examples of balloons that are of the highest quality and are ready to fly after purchase.
A brand-new FireFly 8 along with spiral cuts and a 6.0 basket will cost you about $41,600. This balloon is one the expensive sides of the scale, and you should only invest in it if you are sure about it.
This balloon might not be as durable as the FireFly 10, but it can get a lot of people flying at once. With this utility being used as a professional service, this cost of the balloon seems genuine. With the larger 6096 baskets, a new FireFly 11B balloon will cost you about $62,000.
Even though you will have to call the company for the price quote, let us warn you about the low cost. It will cost you at par or even less than most used balloons. However, the efficiency is not at stake because of the cost.
A used Cameron A-120 with a basket of the capacity of 3-4 people and 20-gallon LPG tanks can cost you about $25,000. This is great, keeping in mind the original cost of these massively productive hot air balloons.
The FireFly 6B is another testimony of the FireFly quality. It is a great hot air balloon for personal use and competitions. It is good at maneuvering and can land very easily. The FireFly 6B is a smaller version of the FireFly 8B, which does not miss out on the goodness of the latter.
When fully inflated, this is a medium-sized balloon that stands at about 41 feet. It has 12 gores, which is comparatively less but does not compromise with the quality of the hot air balloon. It weighs about 1200 lbs on its own and has the capability of carrying 2 10-gallon LPG tanks.
As mentioned with the previous balloon, the FireFly used balloons are usually from the 1990s. This is because the company is very old, and the durability of its products is exemplary. A 1996 built balloon can cost you about $10,000. At that price point, this balloon must be in a decent condition to fly.
The cost of this product is highly debatable and variable. You can buy a model from this manufacturer for anything between $2,000 to $20,000. The Pluto hot air balloon was designed in 2018, so it is considered new design technology.
The Baoluridies evokes just as much trust as the OEM. It is still very ambiguous, though. The Baoluridies is supposed to be able to carry about 4 passengers. It does not even need to be properly tethered, which brings some unanswered questions to mind.
Buying a hot air balloon is an expensive experience. New balloons are the best in quality. However, they cost so much that you either have to use them for commercial purposes or have to be insanely rich to afford recreational purposes.
Buying used balloons is not a bad idea either. You get good quality and personally checked balloons for a much lower price than the original. You could also opt for risky online deals on cheap hot air balloons, but it is a risky feat.
As an industry, any reputable balloon company will charge between $175.00 and $275.00 per person. However, some businesses offer special gift certificates that could lower the price. Being FAA certified, hot air balloons are very expensive to own and operate. With the cost of: crew, chase trucks, aircraft maintenance and commercial insurance, balloonists strive to keep the cost to the passenger as low as possible. Back in 1786 it cost the U.S equivalent of $45,000 per passenger! Ballooning is less expensive than ever. Prices will vary from one Balloon Company to another, so it is best to contact the business directly regarding prices and offers.
Like cars and boats, new balloons vary in size and amenities. A new smaller sport model could cost around $18,000. These balloons typically carry the pilot and one passenger. Larger balloons that carry four to six persons in addition to the pilot will range in price between $20,000 and $55,000 (for envelope, gondola, tanks, and instruments). Used equipment is available. Big commercial balloons (10 to 15 passengers) and special shapes sell for market price making them quite costly.
Before you buy a hot air balloon, you need a license, lots of equipment, and a ground crew. Buying a hot air balloon is like buying another car, except it requires a special license and can only be operated under certain conditions. You will need expensive equipment, usually sold separately from the balloon, and a place to store it. In addition, a ground crew is necessary to safely get the balloon off the ground and land it. If socializing is important to you, realize that hot air ballooning is an expensive, potentially time-consuming hobby that typically does not have a lot of followers.
Hot air balloons cannot be inflated and flown on a whim. Before you buy a hot air balloon, determine how much hassle a chaser crew may be for you. Chaser crews are required to get the balloon in the air and land it safely. Since the direction of a hot air balloon's flight largely depends on the wind, the landing location is never a sure thing. Chaser crews must follow the balloon on land in a vehicle, while keeping contact with the hot air balloon operator via radio.
Hot air rises. Enough hot air will gently lift the envelope, gondola and passengers into the sky. Pilots can control their ascent and descent by heating more air with "burners" or slowly releasing air allowing the heated air to cool off or by using a variety of vents located in strategic points on the envelope vent out the hot air. A new commercial-made hot air balloon will cost in the neighborhood of $30,000 to $40,000. The propane used to fuel the burner which heats the air inside the envelope generally costs $30-$40 and lasts for one to two hours of flight. The ideal time for balloons to fly is typically in the morning, when the cooler temperatures and lower winds provide a better environment for flying. Balloonists prefer winds to be ten miles per hour or less. 041b061a72