Get Flying
Early morning flight from Queen's Square.
Membership for BUHABS is only £35 for the entire calendar year. Most of our flights take place after Christmas in the better weather, but it is not uncommon to fly during the winter months - especially in Autumn. We try to fly every weekend that the weather allows and the last two weeks of Summer term after exams are devoted to flying as much as possible with almost 30 flights scheduled. Flying continues throughout the Summer months outside of term, so for students that stay in Bristol, this represents even better value for money.
Pilots and drivers are all pre-arranged by the committee, so that members can sign up to weekend flights on the Thursday on a first come first served basis. Slots can be booked online through the website, via e-mail, phone or text, or by coming to our socials on Thursday evenings.
Each flight costs £20 if you ride in the balloon and nothing when you follow in the retrieve vehicle. Everybody in the basket pays the same amount, even the pilot.
The society also has a presence at Bristol UWE and Bath Universities. Bristol University staff members and affiliates are also strongly encouraged to join by the committee.
More about the experience
The Circus, Bath. Home of the rich and famous.
As a new member you will hopefully be intrigued about the balloon and how it flies. If you managed to attend one of our ongoning training evenings then you'll have a eough idea of the process. One of the great aspects of flying with BUHABS is that you get to help inflate and then pack away the balloon. You wouldn't get to do this if you flew with anyone else! Our pilot will show you how to set up the balloon and help with safety checks. After climbing in the basket and bidding the retrieve crew fairwell, the pilot pulls the release and the balloon gently rises into the air for a flight that will normally last about an hour.
Check out our photo gallery for recent pictures that members have taken and sent to us.
We regularly meet with several other balloon enthusiasts in locations around the city for a mass fly-out (or even fly-in!). Afterwards we will all meet in a local country pub for a few drinks or a hearty breakfast. Annual favourites are the Kemble Air Show in June and the Bristol Balloon Fiesta in August during which the balloon is seen by over half a million spectators. Smaller meets are arranged throughout the flying season. In addition, the society also takes the balloon abroad to the huge bi-annual ballooning meet in Metz near Strasbourg in France, and to smaller foreign meets in the intervening years.
Still have questions?
You're probably not alone! Take a look at our FAQ section.