Although captive balloons
belong to the oldest of aircrafts, the HighFlyer
is a marvel of modern technology. With its
23 metre diameter, the balloon has a
volume of 6,400 cubic metres - twice as much as
that of the local Alster indoor swimming
pool!
Filled with helium (non-flammable), the
balloon is capable of lifting 4.5
tonnes - more than enough to lift up its own weight,
that of the gondola and 30 persons. A
22 mm wide steel cable securely connects the
balloon to the ground. Despite having only
the same thickness as that of a thumb, the
cable is completely safe, ie. the rope can
withstand a weight of up to 4.5 tonnes.
The 150 m long
cable is connected to a cable
winch on the ground, which is controlled
by the pilots per remote control. For safety
reasons, there is a second set of controls
on the ground as well as an emergency power-generating
set, which is automatically activated if
there is a power failure. As a third option,
the steel cable can also be controlled manually.
Your safety is our priority. The
HighFlyer has been approved by the aviation
authorities
as being an aircraft and is solely controlled
by specially trained pilots. The pilots are
in radio contact with air traffic control
and constantly monitor the weather conditions.
The Federal Office of Aviation in Germany
have approved the maintenance of the balloon
in Hamburg and thorough inspections of the
technical equipment are carried out daily.
The HighFlyer is the 33rd balloon produced
by the French manufacturer Aerophile. Aerophile
balloons operate accident-free in 40 locations
worldwide.
* The pilot has the right to decide the number of passengers per ride, according to the local weather conditions.
The weather conditions in 200 meter height determine if the balloon can be operated or not. Furthermore, the balloon needs a minimum visibility range of 5 km. The wind conditions (wind force and gust of wind) vary from district to district in Hamburg and also from suburb to suburb. In particular the winds in 200 meter height cannot always be identified from the ground.
Please contact us for flight information via internet or weather hotline +49 (40)/30 08 69 69
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