We are travelling to Amboise in mid may and are just about to book a hot air balloon ride (4 adults), but are split 50/50 on dawn or dusk. Can you shed some light on which is better and why?
Thanks
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23621 posts
I would go for dawn because a balloon flies much better in the morning. Second I would not want a dark or early evening landing. The last thing I would want to run out of with a balloon is light. Landing, at best, is a controlled crash landing.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
1068 posts
Dawn, definitely. Dusk means you can't really see the ground as well as the light is fading, and that is one of the coolest things about being up in a balloon. I supposed there might be a romance factor in going up as the stars start to come out... but if you want starlight, there are cheaper ways to enjoy it.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
If there's any chance you''ll catch a case of the severe pukes, make it dawn. That's when he sun hasn't started heating up the ground and the differential heating between a dark ploughed field and a green spud patch causes different velocities in the columns of rising air - - making it a bit lumpy the later you get into the day. Also the diurnal wind shifts haven't kicked in yet - - when they do you'll get more lumps from the shear as altitude increases. Balloon flight at night is possible but more expensive due to increased insurance requirements and the need for anti-smash lights, instruments, power source, etc. There would be some carry-over in cost for day flights with an outfit that uses the same balloons for night flights. This is USA FAA, I don't know squat about French rules. And, some people can land the sucker more than half the time without tipping over the basket. - - at least on the flats.