Your hosts, Mark and Sandi Avery have lived in the NJ Skylands region for most of their lives. They became involved with hot air ballooning in the mid-1980's and currently own their second beautiful balloon. Mark is the pilot and Sandi the crew chief for our ballooning activities. In addition to piloting balloons, Mark has been flying as a commercial airline pilot for the past 30+ years. He has attained the highest levels of FAA pilot certification in both fixed-wing aircraft and hot air balloons. Rest assured that the same disciplined professionalism required of an airline cockpit is also brought to the basket of our balloon on every flight.
We are active members of the Great Eastern Balloon Association (GEBA) and Balloon Federation of America (BFA).
Skylands Ballooning is fully licensed and insured. We welcome your questions which will help us to update our FAQ's below.
We are active members of the Great Eastern Balloon Association (GEBA) and Balloon Federation of America (BFA).
Skylands Ballooning is fully licensed and insured. We welcome your questions which will help us to update our FAQ's below.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
Who can fly a balloon? Pilots licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
How high will we fly? Typically we fly from treetop level up to 3,000 feet.
How long will we fly? Flights are based on a number of factors such as fuel consumption, weather conditions, direction and landing sight availability. The average flight is 45 minutes to an hour.
How do you steer? By climbing or descending to find varying wind speeds and directions.
What to wear? Dress in comfortable clothing appropriate for the outside weather conditions. We recommend you dress in layers, wear long pants and closed toe shoes.
What weather conditions are best for flying? Balloons do not fly in rain, fog, snow or in windy conditions. The decision to fly is at the sole discretion of the pilot. Safety is always our first priority.
What instruments are used in a balloon? The altimeter indicates altitude (how high we are), a variometer shows the rate of climb or decent, a compass and a pyrometer (measures the temperature inside the balloon).
What if I'm afraid of heights? Until you experience this for yourself it is hard to believe: there is no sensation of height when you are in a balloon.
Why do balloons only fly at sunrise and sunset? The winds are the calmest at sunrise and just before sunset. As the sun heats the earth, thermals occur and winds increase which can make landing more difficult. Sunrise and sunset times vary daily. Our meeting time is 15 minutes before sunrise OR 2 hours before sunset.
Am I able to fly if I have a medical condition or disability? You should be physically able to climb into and out of the basket. Our basket does have a cut out "step" on both sides. You should discuss any conditions with us when you book your flight.
How long should I plan to be there? The entire experience from the time we meet at the designated location until we return will take approximately 2 to 3 hours. This includes final weather briefings, setup of the balloon, the flight itself, packing up the balloon, transport time, and of course the post flight celebration!
How high will we fly? Typically we fly from treetop level up to 3,000 feet.
How long will we fly? Flights are based on a number of factors such as fuel consumption, weather conditions, direction and landing sight availability. The average flight is 45 minutes to an hour.
How do you steer? By climbing or descending to find varying wind speeds and directions.
What to wear? Dress in comfortable clothing appropriate for the outside weather conditions. We recommend you dress in layers, wear long pants and closed toe shoes.
What weather conditions are best for flying? Balloons do not fly in rain, fog, snow or in windy conditions. The decision to fly is at the sole discretion of the pilot. Safety is always our first priority.
What instruments are used in a balloon? The altimeter indicates altitude (how high we are), a variometer shows the rate of climb or decent, a compass and a pyrometer (measures the temperature inside the balloon).
What if I'm afraid of heights? Until you experience this for yourself it is hard to believe: there is no sensation of height when you are in a balloon.
Why do balloons only fly at sunrise and sunset? The winds are the calmest at sunrise and just before sunset. As the sun heats the earth, thermals occur and winds increase which can make landing more difficult. Sunrise and sunset times vary daily. Our meeting time is 15 minutes before sunrise OR 2 hours before sunset.
Am I able to fly if I have a medical condition or disability? You should be physically able to climb into and out of the basket. Our basket does have a cut out "step" on both sides. You should discuss any conditions with us when you book your flight.
How long should I plan to be there? The entire experience from the time we meet at the designated location until we return will take approximately 2 to 3 hours. This includes final weather briefings, setup of the balloon, the flight itself, packing up the balloon, transport time, and of course the post flight celebration!
