Virgin Balloon Flights, with headquarters in Telford, Shropshire, began flying hot air balloons in 1987 and its passengers are still flown in red and white balloons with the Virgin Group logo emblazoned on the side of the balloon.
Virgin Balloon Flights own and operate the largest passenger carrying balloon service in the United Kingdom as well as the largest balloon fleet in the UK. The company has over 100 launch sites throughout the United Kingdom (including Crowborough, Shrewsbury and Castle Fraser), employs 24 pilots who carry out the balloon flights and is affiliated to the following organisations:
- Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
- British Balloon & Airship Club (BBAC)
- British Association of Balloon Operators (BABO)
Since 1997, Virgin Balloon Flights has been the trading name for AirXcite Limited.
In 2006 it acquired a N-355 balloon manufactured by Ultramagic. This new balloon, that takes a 355,000 cu ft (10,100 m3) of air and can carry a basket with up to 16 passengers, replaced a smaller Cameron 340 balloon.
Recently Virgin Balloon Flights expanded to Italy. It now has 3 launch sites in Tuscany (Florence, Siena and Poggibonsi) and is looking to expand.
Famous quotes containing the words virgin, balloon and/or flights:
“In correct theology, the Virgin ought not to be represented in bed, for she could not suffer like ordinary women, but her palace at Chartres is not much troubled by theology, and to her, as empress-mother, the pain of child-birth was a pleasure which she wanted her people to share.”
—Henry Brooks Adams (1838–1918)
“When I am on a stage, I am the focus of thousands of eyes and it gives me strength. I feel that something, some energy, is flowing from the audience into me. I actually feel stronger because of these waves. Now when the play’s done, the eyes taken away, I feel just as if a circuit’s been broken. The power is switched off. I feel all gone and empty inside of me—like a balloon that’s been pricked and the air’s let out.”
—Lynn Fontanne (1887–1983)
“Franklin said once in one of his inspired flights of malignity—
Early to bed and early to rise
Make a man healthy and wealth and wise.
As if it were any object to a boy to be healthy and wealthy and wise on such terms.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)