Cost: $25/adult, $17.50/child, no children under 40″ allowed including babies in carriers.
Location: Central Park, Cherry Hill (West of Bethesda Fountain)
When: 7Am to 10PM July 25-August 22 2008.
(Other locations on later dates.)
Official URL: www.aeroballoon.com
Rating:

If your children are over 40 inches tall, and you’re in NYC, it’s worth standing in line for these balloon rides. Just show up early in the day to avoid long lines and the possibility of the rides being temporarily put on hold due to high winds.

Each ride lasts roughly 8-10 minutes as the balloon rises up to 300 feet and hovers there safely and securely attached to the ground by a very strong tether. One might automatically think “Tourist attraction”, but unlike permanent NYC landmarks, this balloon ride is attracting both NYC natives and tourists. It’s a one-month long opportunity to see Central Park from a vantage point typically reserved for the birds.

FUN FACTOR

Part tour, part hot air balloon ride, part amusement park thrill. Like being in an open-air skyscraper. The visuals of Central Park spread out beneath your feet are nothing short of stunning. Anyone with a passion for photography will want to go up in this balloon. At 300 feet you are at the perfect height to see all of Central Park, but not so high up that it becomes abstract. Gentle winds blow the balloon, causing it to slowly spin on its tether, giving you an amazing panoramic view of the lush green Central Park and the surrounding concrete jungle.

FEAR FACTOR

I’m hesitant to look down over the railing of a third-floor balcony, so when our publisher suggested this assignment I honestly thought he was joking at first. Finally, the temptation to see a unique view of Central Park managed to convince me to give it a try.

It was surprisingly not at all intimidating. The basket is very securely made, the tether is very thick and strong. Interestingly enough, rising up in the basket gradually acclimates you to the height in a way that an elevator never does. The balloon ascends slowly enough that your stomach stays firmly where your stomach ought to be, rather than rising in your throat or doing flip-flops. The only slightly disconcerting aspect to the balloon ride was the fact that, being unusually tall, my center of gravity was slightly above the edge of the basket. The walls of the basket are approximately 42-43″ tall. I bent my knees slightly and brought my center of gravity back inside of the basket and looped my arm around the strong canvas-covered basket railings and found that I felt very secure and comfortable, even when the basket tilted heavily while landing. Children and the majority of adults will find that they fit very safely and comfortably within the dimensions of the basket.

SAFETY

I must admit that part of my comfort was the fact that I had pulled up Aeroballoon’s website the night before and read about the extensive safety precautions that they take, and the tests that they run on their equipment. Designed by an engineering team with decades of experience in the civilian and military aerostat, airship and hot air balloon fields, these balloons are quite obviously designed with safety in mind.

The balloon is tethered using a cable and winch system which allows the balloon to rise to 300 feet and return safely to the same location on the ground. There are safety belts inside of the balloon for your use if you need them, and an intercom if communicating with the ground crew is necessary during your short ride.

The tether cable is 22 millimeters in diameter, and has an ultimate tenstile strength of 45 tons, which provides a safety factor greater than 10. The winch system is equipped with a backup generator in case of power failure, and has a peak speed of 120 feet per minute. Just to compare, elevators in 15 story buildings typically travel at 500 feet per minute.

Safety is a priority for the Aeroballoon crew, several people stabilize the basket upon landing and takeoff, and help the passengers out using portable steps on the landing platform.

If the winds are too high for safe flights, Aeroballoon will ground the balloon and not allow anyone up until the wind subsides.

BOTTOM LINE

These balloon rides are too much fun to miss. You’ll have to hurry, though. The Central Park balloon rides are only from July 25 to August 22, in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the original design plans for Central Park. Not in the city? Check out the other locations where you can find Aeroballoon rides. At the time of this article they had locations in Boston, Chicago, and Niagra Falls.