Hot air balloon flight in Moscow - my impressions

How quickly dreams come true! True, for some reason, those that you don't really want, but just keep in reserve. Last summer, when we hitchhiked in Turkey, we saw how over Cappadocia soar into the sky hundreds of balloons. That day I just took a picture of them and thought that I had to somehow implement it. And it so happened that I was destined to become an aeronaut only in Moscow..

As part of his post What to do in Moscow at the weekend, I got a coupon for a hot air balloon flight in Moscow. It was bought on Biglion.ru, it was a 50% discount, a total of 3800 rubles came out for 1 hour in the air, which seems to me a little expensive for such entertainment. By the way, flights in Turkey are cheaper, that is, they cost about the same, only without a discount. Then a similar action, only from another ballooning club, was on the Groupon and already for 1800r. Who would have known in advance ...

The content of the article

Preparing for a hot air balloon flight

I had to leave Moscow already at 4 am. Flights in summer are carried out only in the morning and in the evening, during the day the airspace is apparently occupied. But what a beautiful sun met us on the way.

Dawn before the flight, we go to the meeting point

Dawn before the flight, we go to the meeting point

As it turned out, the most interesting thing is anticipation. You come to the field and the movement begins around: everything is unpacked, the balls are deployed on the ground and begin to fill with warm air. Everything happens quickly and efficiently. You look at this and wait for a miracle, because before you saw balloons only in the sky.

This is how balloons and passengers are transported along the ground

This is how balloons and passengers are transported along the ground

Burner check

Burner check

Everything is in full swing

Everything is in full swing

Spread the ball out of the bag

Spread the ball out of the bag

Spread all over the ground

Spread all over the ground

Filled with air from a fan

Filled with air from a fan

Then they turn on the burner and fill it with hot air

Then they turn on the burner and fill it with hot air

When the ball starts to rise, it is held

When the ball starts to rise, it is held

Everybody prepares to take off

Everybody prepares to take off

The first balloons are already in the air

The first balloons are already in the air

A special heart-shaped balloon for newlyweds

A special heart-shaped balloon for newlyweds

Gas cylinders for flight

Gas cylinders for flight

Everyone is photographed against the background of balloons

Everyone is photographed against the background of balloons

In about 30 minutes, a small car trailer turns into a huge means of transportation by air. The pilot practically does not turn off the burner, the command is given to jump ...

A command is given and we take off

A command is given and we take off

Full speed ahead!

Full speed ahead!

Hot air balloon flight in Moscow

A slight tremor, smiles on their faces, excitement, and the basket is lifted off the ground. The hot air balloon flight has begun! The first feeling that you are taking the elevator, everything is calm and no shaking. If you do not look overboard, you will not understand that you are taking off, no fear. It also looks like you are standing on an open observation deck of some kind of tower. It becomes a little uncomfortable only when you look at the ground floating under you and think that you are separated from it only by the plastic bottom of the basket and a few hundred meters.

Below is the field from which we took off

Below is the field from which we took off

There are already many of us in the sky

There are already many of us in the sky

And under the basket there is a forest

And under the basket there is a forest

The landscapes near Moscow float by

The landscapes near Moscow float by

Everything a pilot needs to fly a balloon

Everything a pilot needs to fly a balloon

If you were looking for a place for a tent, then here it is

If you were looking for a place for a tent, then here it is

According to the established tradition, when I get the opportunity to take pictures from a height (tv tower in munich, television tower in Kuala Lumpur), the weather deteriorates sharply, the sky becomes gray and covered with clouds. So it happened this time, we did not see the bright blue sky and cheerful colors of the meadows. But we saw what the Dmitrovsky district looks like from a height: small people, toy houses and cars. Probably, if the landscape were not Russian, it would be more interesting to watch.

Hot air balloon flight

Hot air balloon flight

Hot air balloon flight

Hot air balloon flight

The city of Dmitrov is below us

The city of Dmitrov is below us

The city of Dmitrov is below us

The city of Dmitrov is below us

I'm all so serious

I'm all so serious

Gateway in Dmitrovsky district

Gateway in Dmitrovsky district

Hot air balloon flight

Hot air balloon flight

Railway bridge

Railway bridge

People and cars below are like toys

People and cars below are like toys

Cityscapes

Cityscapes

Ever wanted to look behind the fence?

I never wanted to look behind the fence?

Typical summer cottage of an ordinary office worker

Typical summer cottage of an ordinary office worker

And someone lives like that, though with a swimming pool

And someone lives like that, though with a swimming pool

Balloon landing

Well, the funniest thing is the balloon landing. The basket flops to the ground, bounces several times, and leaves behind a trail of trampled grass and a little dug earth. Only at this stage a couple of drops of adrenaline are produced. Well, after that you are supposed to drink champagne (it is a pity that there was no ordinary juice) and part with a part of your body - this is the rite of initiation into astronauts, balloonists. They decided to take pity on us and not take our legs, arms, and other organs away from us, but simply set our hair on fire.

Hot air balloon flight is coming to an end

Hot air balloon flight is coming to an end

The fields seem to be divorced

The fields seem to be divorced

All the joyful ones jump out of the basket

All the joyful ones jump out of the basket

All that's left of the big balloon

All that's left of the big balloon

Reverse loading process

Reverse loading process

Champagne after flight

Champagne after flight

We give a part of ourselves

We give a part of ourselves

Here they are - gallant balloonists with certificates

Here they are - gallant balloonists with certificates

leave us arms, legs, kidneys and other organs, and just set our hair on fire.

Some information about aeronautics

- Our flight lasted an hour, this is enough to understand what it is. In this flight, we climbed 520 meters. In general, balloons can rise to a height of 5000 meters.
- The ball is controlled by a gas burner, and can only rise up and down due to warm air, the rest (left / right) occurs at the behest of the wind, therefore, during long journeys, metrological forecasts are carefully studied and a tailwind is expected.
- Upstairs it is not cold at all, the burner is so warm that if you stand very close to the pilot, then it is better to put on a hat, otherwise he will bake. And the noise from it is such that it is not possible to talk (it does not burn constantly).
- Our balloon cost 55,000 euros, and balloons for real travel (there is a double shell with helium) are already under 2 million.
- To become a balloon pilot, you need to unlearn six months of courses and get a license.
- Every flight requires permission, you can't just fly.
- There is a zone G in the world - a free space where you can fly without notifying various services. The Moscow region is not included in this zone.

Minute video of our hot air balloon flight, even rather our landing. Since it is the most fun! FullHD video, so it's best to watch at maximum resolution.