Friday Extra
New jumbo balloon offers a birds-eye view of Central Florida from a basket
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Published: December 30, 2011
TAMPA - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's a humongous balloon, soaring over the skies of Central Florida.
How large is it? The jumbo balloon stands 11 stories high – about 112 feet tall – it's 90 feet wide when fully inflated and it seats a whopping 24 passengers in its gondola. It's the country's largest hot air balloon and it's available for public rides.
"A standard balloon holds 90 to 100 cubic feet," said Julia Schmertzler, office manager for Orlando Balloon Rides in Central Florida. "This balloon holds 425,000 cubic feet. It's pretty impressive."
The uber balloon was custom-ordered from Ultramagic Balloons of Spain at a cost of $245,000, said Schmertzler.
The basket, or gondola, of the balloon, is made of aircraft-grade stainless steel wrapped in wicker, and feature separate compartments that accommodate four to six passengers each.
The compartments are safer than standard balloon rides and offer passengers more room to move around and a smoother ride, Schmertzler said.
The massive balloon made its inaugural flight this month with 18 contest winners and six combat veterans.
The flights are usually an hour, but can be as short as 45 minutes or as long as 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on the weather. Visitors will soar thousands of feet overhead for a birds-eye view of Central Florida, its wildlife, even Disney World (though the balloon isn't allowed to fly over the Magic Kingdom).
Hot air balloons are at the mercy of the atmosphere. They cannot be steered; pilots decide only when to start and when to stop. But that's part of the appeal.
Schmertzler said the balloon ride offers 30 launch locations. The morning of the flight, the pilot uses a helium balloon to test the wind speed and direction and choose the best path for the day.
Last year, Orlando Balloon Rides had its best year to date with 10,000 riders. Schmertzler expects even more people to ride the mammoth balloon.
"Do you want to be in the smallest ship in the ocean, or the largest ship in the ocean?" she asked. "This is a very impressive balloon."
Flights are offered daily – whether permitting – for $175 a passenger. The ride includes a champagne toast or non-alcoholic beverage, an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and a flight of ascension certificate by their pilot. Pilots with Orlando Balloon Rides are certified by the Federal Aviation Authority.
Rides get under way at sunrise at Reunion Resort, 7593 Gathering Drive, in Reunion, Fla.
For information, visit www.orlandoballoonrides.com or call (407) 894-5040.
ccabrera@tampatrib.com (813) 259-7656
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