As the host and producer of Experiences You Should Have podcast, I love showcasing unique experiences around the world. When thinking back on my own experiences, skydiving off a hot air balloon is one that sticks out in my memory (as well as skydiving at night, but that's another episode). I went with a good friend, Denis Neal, on that early Florida morning and it was an experience I will never forget.

Denis, who filmed my first hot air balloon skydive, has made the most hot air balloon skydives out of all of my skydiving friends. He has jumped out of a hot air balloon 47 times! The shortest skydive Denis ever made was at about 1,400 feet, when the balloon pilot had a new hot air balloon that hadn't been calibrated with the correct temperature. He announced they needed to lose weight, so Denis turned his camera on and jumped out over Wallaby Ranch in Florida and he lived to see another day. Listen to the podcast episode above on Gail and Denis's adventures of skydiving off hot air balloons.

Video of Denis and Gail's Hot Air Balloon Skydive

https://youtu.be/V-uDSUw5sDg

Why Jump off a Hot Air Balloon?

Skydiving off a hot air balloon will change your life. Riding in a hot air balloon is extremely peaceful as you hear the blow of the fire and seeing the world float on by below you. But deciding to jump out of a hot air balloon is not a natural response, unless you are a skydiver and love experiencing jumping off of new things. Most skydives happen via plane that is traveling at 80 knots, so on a typical skydive you don't feel your stomach drop.

A hot air balloon is not traveling at airplane speeds. It's typically traveling 4-6 mph, so when you take that the first leap off of a hot air balloon you feel that quintessential stomach drop that you would feel on a roller coaster... except this is not an amusement park ride. With a skydiving rig on your back (containing 2 parachutes), it's now up to you to pull your parachute and find a safe place to land.

Ultimate Experience: Skydive off a Hot Air Balloon

Requirements to Skydive from Hot Air Balloon

For those of you making your first skydive, it will not be from a hot air balloon. You need to be a licensed skydiver with:

* Parachute flying proficiency skills.* Accurate skydive landing skills.* Comfortable with jumping from lower altitudes, usually around 3,000 feet (but could be lower in some emergency situations).* Have at least a skydiving C License (minimum of 200 skydives).* Access to a hot air balloon and a commercial pilot that will let you jump off of it. * At least $100 to cover the cost of the ride/jump.

Why is Canopy Flying Accuracy and Landing Important?

The beauty of a hot air balloon is that it goes with the flow, wherever the wind may take it. There's no telling where you might end up when it's time to jump out. While hot air balloon skydiving, Denis has landed in the middle of the interstate, in someone's backyard, on a golf course, and on top of a school.

Listen to the full episode above to get the full experience.

Related Episodes You Should Listen To

First Time Skydiving

Skydiving at Night