Website: www.lifeballooning.co.za
E-mail: bookings@lifeballooning.co.za

Directors: PJ Steyn (M.Sc., MBA), C van Wyk

Commercial Operators License Number: Class II N 606D & Class III G 607D

Dear Client

Life Ballooning welcomes you to the amazing world of hot air ballooning. We offer an unforgettable adventure while you experience peace and tranquillity as you float over hilltops and green landscapes with nothing to disturb the peace but the occasional hiss of the burner. You will never forget this thrilling experience. Please find some general information regarding Life Ballooning.

Our Rates:

Regular price - R1800 per person at Madidaba, Cullinan

- R1800 per person at River Bear Lodge, Skeerpoort, Hartbeespoort dam

- R1800 per person at Muldersdrift

- R2100 per person for 2-4 people on weekdays

- R2100 per person for exclusives (2-4 people per balloon)

· A minimum of two persons per booking for flights.

· If you book 6 passengers for a flight, you will get a discount of 10%.

· Up to 2 children under 12 years per flight qualify for a 50% discount.

· Life Ballooning offers a 10% commission for bookings done through agents/tour operators. All other discounts are then cancelled.

· Non-flyers accompanying passengers – R85

· Refreshments prior to the flight, transport in retrieve vehicle and champagne breakfast included.

Please Note: The above rates are VAT inclusive.

The above rates include:

We will await the passengers with steaming hot coffee/tea and rusks on arrival
A 50 to 60 minute flight depending on a suitable landing spot

· We celebrate the balloon flight with a toast of champagne and orange juice after the flight.

· A retrieve vehicle will follow the balloon and return the passengers to the launching field

· Afterwards the passengers can relax and discuss the exciting flight over a hearty breakfast. Friends and family are most welcome to join the group for breakfast at own cost.

· Every passenger will get a certificate as evidence that he "owns the sky".

We endeavour to give a personal service to all our clients.

Launch sites:

We operate mainly in Gauteng and our main launching sites are:

Madidaba Game Lodge near Cullinan – Accommodation available (Lien - 012 732 0059)
River Bear Lodge (Skeerpoort area) – Accommodation available – Please mention that you are doing a balloon trip (Anthoné - 014 576 1743 or 083 741 4622)
Collection from Hotels can be arranged at an extra cost.
We do, however, take group bookings of 8 and more passengers in other areas e.g. convention centres or holiday resorts if the area is suitable for hot air ballooning. We will have to inspect the site beforehand, and our price will have to make provision for additional costs like travel, accommodation etc.
We can advise you of excellent accommodation in the areas we fly and from time to time we have accommodation promotions at our launch site lodges. See their websites for more info (www.riverbearlodge.co.za or www.madidaba.co.za ). You can contact them directly for reservations.

Cancelled flights

Safety is our first consideration and we will not fly if conditions are unsuitable. Although we do a weather check the day before, we normally cancel from the launch site, as the weather there might be different from what it looks like from your bedside the night before. The pilot is the final one who can make the decision to fly or not. If the flight is cancelled because of bad weather, you can transfer the booking to another day, or even another area. If you choose not to reschedule, you will receive a refund less a 10% cancellation fee to cover our expenses. PLEASE NOTE - if the passenger cancels the trip, the deposit is forfeited. By confirming the booking, you are agreeing to these policies and charges.

Meeting Times:

Passengers have to be prepared to rise early - flight conditions are ideal during still air of early morning. During summer time we launch around 5:30 and in winter around 6:30. Passengers have to be there at least 30 minutes prior to launching. While enjoying a steaming mug of coffee they can watch the balloon being assembled and inflated. The pilot will do a passenger briefing just before take-off. The length of a balloon flight is determined by many factors, including the outside temperature and the weight carried. There is no such thing as an “average” balloon flight – each one is a unique, once in a lifetime experience. The flight itself, from lift-off to touch down, normally lasts at least 45 to 60 minutes, sometimes slightly less/more, depending on the direction and speed of the wind. For planning purposes, reckon on about 3 hours for the complete outing, including your post flight champagne celebration and journey back to the launching site. A retrieve team will collect the passengers from the landing spot and take them back to launching site from where they depart for the breakfast.

Clothing

Whatever you feel comfortable in. You should preferably wear casual clothing like jeans or slacks and flat, sturdy shoes. Avoid woolly socks, which attract seeds like blackjacks. Don’t wear nylon. Layers of thin clothes in natural fibres are preferable to bulky items such as parkas. Remember it is only cold on the ground. Wear gloves in wintertime. Rather leave bulky handbags on the ground. Remember to take your camera to take some pictures, as well as binoculars. We recommend you bring a cap should you wish to shield your head from the heat of the burners.

Bookings procedure:

Once you have decided on a date for the flight, contact us as soon as possible to secure the date. We will then send you an invoice for the amount to be paid. The deposit as per quotation is required to secure all bookings. Once we received your deposit slip we'll send you a confirmation of the booking details as well as the directions to the launch site. The balance has to be paid 5 working days prior to the flight.

We also require:

· the name & surname, ID number and weight of each passenger

· a mobile phone number where you can be contacted after hours in case of bad weather (and the flight has to be cancelled)

· special dietary requirements for breakfast

details if it is a special occasion like an anniversary or birthday etc.

Physical limitations:

If a person feels adventurous enough to want to fly in a balloon, then he is not too old to do it. Provided he is of average fitness and reasonably mobile, we’ll be more than happy to fly him. Passengers must be able to jump from a height of 60cm to get out of the basket and stand for the duration of the flight. You do need to let us know if anyone has limiting physical conditions for us to make the necessary arrangements e.g. diabetes or scared of heights. Our policy is not to fly pregnant woman. Children are welcome although we do stipulate for safety’s sake that children under the age of 8 years should be taller than 1,2m to be able to see over the basket. Parents must accompany children under the age of 12.

About us:

Life Ballooning is a licensed Air Transport Service. Our air services number for Class II (chartering) is N606D and for Class III (advertising) is G607D. We has been authorized to operate the said air service(s) in accordance with the approved operations manual and the provisions of the Air Services Licensing Act 1990 (Act No 74 of 1962), and the Civil Aviation Offences Act 1972 (Act N.10 of 1972). Life Ballooning is fully ensured for third party liability (R2,500,000) as well as R1,000,000 passenger liability. Our balloons are inspected and maintained according to the rules and regulations of the SA Civil Aviation Authority. Our pilots have a balloon pilot rating from CAA. It is extremely important to only fly with pilots who work for a commercial operation. Life Ballooning is one of only 8 in the country. We have been audited by CAA, and given a clean bill of health so to speak. Please contact us for a copy of our operations certificate.

Our Fleet:

We have the following balloons:

· 77 – Training Pilot + one

· 90 – Pilot + 2

· 160 – Pilot + 6

· 180 – Pilot + 8

· 210 – Pilot + 10 people.

It is possible to use the balloons for team building exercises or corporate groups. We also cater for tourists, travelers, and everyone looking for adventure. We also have a standing agreement with Balloon Drifters, which enables us to fly larger groups.

We hope with all this information at hand, you will make use of our services. If you need more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time assuring you of our best attention at all times.

Kind regards

Nella Steyn

MARKETING MANAGER
Tel +27 (0) 13 665 3265
Mobile +27 (0) 82 882 3771
Fax +27 (0) 13 665 3265