Balloon Quest Inc. Capt. Phogg Balloon Rides is proudly celebrating 50 years of hot-air-balloon flights over Michigan! As one of the largest, and longest running full service balloon operations in the country, featuring highly experience and skilled commercial pilots. Our pilots are world class pilots with thousands of hours of experience and many years of flying. Balloon Quest is committed to making all flights fun, exciting, surreal and packed full of memories that will last a lifetime.
Weather conditions needed for flights
The number one thing that passengers need to know before coming to fly with us is hot-air-balloons rely completely on the weather and that is where our experience will make the difference and your adventure fantastic. The weather is everything when it comes to ballooning, because balloons need perfect weather to fly. Balloons rely on the winds to be calm or light, both on the surface and aloft, visibility to be good, and no precipitation. Flights can get cancelled due to the weather not cooperating on any given day. If a flight is cancelled due to the weather passengers must simply reschedule a flight with Balloon Quest until the flight is flown! You will know before you need to leave home if the flight can fly on your reserved date, we will only have you come to our location if the weather is looking good for the flight. If the weather is not good you would simply reserve another date at your leisure, we are only a phone call away, stop in our showroom or email.
The Location
Capt. Phogg Balloon Ride flights originate from our location in Fenton, Michigan and start from our own private show room, gift shop, and private launch field. Where all our flights take off from. We drift with the wind so landings will be where the wind has taken us! Flights are seven days a week (if the weather allows) And just like most all passenger balloons around the world, flights are twice a day, because that is when it is safe for balloons to fly. Flights are either early in the morning near sunrise or meet about two hours before sunset, all flights are during daylight. We are very fortunate to say that we have been flying in this area for over 50 years! Our pilots are some of the most experienced anywhere and have thousands of hours of experience with decades of flying fun in our beautiful area. When you come fly here you will get a very experienced company and pilot that will fly you in a gorgeous area and give you a fantastic flight!
The Experience
Within our flying area we have about 50 different lakes that are stunning to see. There is also a handful of state woodlands and state parks, which means we see all kinds of wildlife from the air. Deer, turkey, fox, hawks, and more inhabit the area! You will have the most memorable flight that is available anywhere. The flight will last from 45 minutes to an hour or more long, but your entire experience is estimated to be about a three hour experience. The reason for that is because you get to be part of all the hot-air-ballooning fun! We allow you to help set up the balloon; or if you would like you can stand back and take photos. Once the balloon is standing upright you will climb aboard the basket and enjoy gliding gently over our absolutely gorgeous flying area with beautiful lakes and rolling hills. You will get the opportunity to take photos to your heart’s content of the scenic views below. The entire time that you are in the balloon flying above those who are unfortunately earthbound, there will be a vehicle on the ground that will follow the balloon until it lands. Balloons fly where the wind takes them, meaning balloons will always land away from the launch site. Once our highly trained commercial pilots land the balloon, our chase vehicle will meet up at the location. We will pack up the balloon, and then we will chauffeur you back to our showroom. You will be able to join in on all the action. Once back at our showroom, we have a celebration with you! You will have your choice of either champagne or juice. You will receive a few gifts for flying with us, and the history of why champagne is served at the end of a balloon ride. The flight is about 45 minutes to an hour long but the entire experience is about 3 hours long and the memories last a lifetime!
Fear of heights? No problem!
Hot-air-balloons float very gently with the wind and never against the wind. This means in balloons you will never feel turbulence or that up and down feeling like in an elevator. No one ever gets that negative feeling of height in your stomach: you will just have the surreal pleasure of flight with fantastic views. So if a passenger thinks they will be nervous about flying in a balloon due to heights, he or she has nothing to fear because you will have a safe feeling with no turbulence or up and down feel on a balloon! No other form of flying can make that claim!