Cancelled hot air balloon trips are set to become a thing of the past as Virgin Balloon Flights introduces brand new ‘weather perfecting’ technology across its entire fleet.
The ground-breaking new equipment is set to revolutionise the commercial hot air ballooning industry by creating a ‘microclimate’ around each balloon, allowing them to fly in all weather conditions, from heavy rain to driving snow, 365 days a year.
At the touch of a button, the ‘InstaSummer’ device removes all traces of clouds, fog, rain, or snow from the skies, drops winds around the balloon to a flight-perfect gentle breeze, and brings out just the right amount of sunshine for the best views.
Previously, the only way Virgin Balloon Flights could attempt to control the weather for its flights was for staff to perform a traditional English ‘sun dance’ in the car park of its Telford head office. However, this method proved to have limited success.
The InstaSummer has been developed by pioneering Italian technology company Falso Ridicolo Invenzioni, who last year launched the must-have ‘InstaProsecco’ kitchen gadget to turn ordinary supermarket value grapes into high-end Reserve Prosecco sparkling wine.
Kenneth Karlstrom, CEO of Virgin Balloon Flights, said the InstaSummer would put an end to cancelled flights for good.“Never again will the wind, rain, hail or snow stop any of our balloons from taking to the skies,” he said.
“Throughout our 21-year history, we have always done everything we can at Virgin Balloon Flights to create the perfect flying weather, including our daily staff ‘sun dance’ based on an old English weather ritual, but this has not worked very well.
“The InstaSummer has truly revolutionised hot air ballooning and will soon be rolled out across our entire fleet.”
Antonio Imbrogliare, technological director at Falso Ridicolo, said he was delighted that Virgin Balloon Flights had come on board as his one and only customer for the InstaSummer.
“You just press a button, and our machine she ‘sucks away’ all of this maltempto [bad weather] and turns it into perfetto ballooning conditions,” he said.
“We are molto orgoglioso [very proud] to be working with our Buono amici at Virgin Balloon Flights.”