Flynavyballoon Reviews 

We can’t praise Rob, Jan, and Nick highly enough for running such a professional and well-organised operation that ensured we had a truly fantastic day.

Rob, an obviously highly skilled pilot, was an absolute delight to fly with. His enthusiasm and deep love of ballooning shone through in the kind and friendly way he kept us informed about the flight plan throughout our trip.

Yes, the weather conditions were near perfect, and we had the privilege of taking part in a mass launch from the Bristol Balloon Fiesta site at Ashton Court. However, it was Rob’s calm and friendly manner that truly made the day so memorable.

An hour and a half later, having experienced the beauty of Bristol from the air, we touched down with a perfect soft landing and celebrated with a traditional glass of Champagne in the warm morning sun.

If you’re considering a hot air balloon flight, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Fly Navy. Thanks again to Rob and the team!

Arranged a family balloon ride as a treat for my wife's 50th Birthday. We all had a very fun morning and we were very well looked after by Rob and his crew. If you are looking for a top notch experience, I would highly recommend Fly Navy. Rob was brilliant to deal with from start to finish and we immediately knew we were in very safe hands. 100% recommended. Just be ready for a very early start!

We had the absolute pleasure of flying with Rob at the Bristol Balloon Fiesta, and it was nothing short of incredible. From the moment we met him, Rob’s friendly and welcoming personality put us completely at ease. His calm confidence and clear expertise in piloting the balloon made us feel safe throughout the entire experience, allowing us to relax and truly enjoy every moment (and we were one of the first up and last down so we definitely got a more lengthy ride than everyone!).

Rob was also wonderfully informative, sharing fascinating insights about ballooning and the local sights as we floated through the skies. The glass-bottom basket was an unforgettable highlight — a unique and thrilling way to see the world beneath our feet.

It was an experience we’ll never forget, made all the better by Rob’s skill, warmth, and professionalism. Highly recommended!

This was our first trip in a balloon and we were lucky enough to manage to get up as planned at the Bristol Fiesta. We had particularly wanted a more personal experience rather than one of the larger balloons and what we got was spot on. Rob was great to deal with during the booking process and when it came to the flight, kept us informed about what was happening and the restrictions due to the weather on the day. We had the option of cancelling if we wanted to as Rob made it clear that we would not be up as long as he would have liked. However we wanted to experience the mass ascent and opted to go up. In the end we had a lovely flight dipping up and over the trees with Rob showing us how good a pilot he really was. We are planning on booking another flight in the near future.

A balloon flight from the Bristol Balloon Fiesta was on my bucket list since first visiting the fiesta in 1990. Cancelled due to high winds on a couple of occasions over the years, which can not be helped (safety comes first), but Rob made it easy to re book from the previous year when my first attempt with him failed and it was really worth the wait. I am not a great flyer (hate landings) for some reason no trouble with ballooning and Robs skill in manoeuvring the balloon gave me some great photo opportunities and now planning to go up again with him and the team. Highly recommend it you will not regret it.

I bought a private flight for two in Bristol Balloon Fiesta for my girlfriend as her birthday gift and it was a great success.

From the beginning of contacting Rob first time He gave me very clear instructions about everything, where to be, when, what to expect and how to pay, etc.

We had our experience in early saturday morning and it all started with unpacking the balloon, filling it with air and then jumping on to the basket and take off.

The flight itself was amazing. It was super smooth ans was nice to watch all other balloons all around us. Rob told us a lot of interesting things about hot air ballooning. Like how the balloon is handled, what makes us descend and ascend, how to rotate it, what are the restricted zones, how animals react to balloons. Also he kept us informed about where are we flying at the moment. It was very interesting to listen.

Finally we landed and it was a lot smoother than we excepted, we did the landing position like Rob showed us and then landed on a field somewhere near the Chipping Sodbury.

After that we helped packing the balloon to the trailer and they gave us a ride back to Bristol.

I can highly suggest flying with Fly Navy Balloon. This was one of those experiences that you can remember the rest of your life! and Rob is the most exprienced pilot that you can ever hope for and was clearly born to fly.

Perfect adventure! We had a chance to fly with Rob last month and it was one of the best experiences. Rob is such a good communicator that he made an uncertain thing like balloon flight much much easier to plan for us. He sent us all the required details before the flight and on the day. During flight he knew the area very well and explained to us details of how the flight works. I booked it for our anniversary and it such a romantic experience with champagne and sunrise. Whole area around Haselbury mills is very beautiful and under appreciated. It was a long flight over 90 minutes and just a perfect start for our weekend. Highly recommended for anyone considering balloons for the first time or just an experience.

Fantastic experience and Rob briefed us so well we were completely at ease. The flight lasted an hour and was incredibly smooth as was the landing. The recovery team were with us within 5 minutes and they returned us to our car. Would definitely fly with Rob again. Thoroughly enjoyable experience.

What do get for someone that has everything?
My family bought me this wonderful gift for my 60th birthday and it is probably the best gift experience I have ever had.
From first contacting Rob, to ask how the diary was looking, and then letting me know that ideal, good weather conditions was less than a week away! I was very impressed.
Arriving at Haselbury Mill we were instantly involved (which I was really pleased about) from helping getting the basket assembled and inflating the balloon ready to fly, we were both very excited.
The weather was perfect and we travelled from Somerset into Dorset and landed south of Beaminster. The views were amazing! Flying over country that I had only ever seen from the ground.
Rob is a very knowledgeable and experienced flyer, and although my wife (who is scared of heights) he soon reassured us both, that we were in very safe hands, demonstrating the rise and fall and steering of the balloon.
When we landed, I was again involved in helping to deflate and pack the balloon up, along with a very welcome glass or two of champagne for both us.
Once packed up we were driven back to Haselbury Mill, both with big grins on our faces!
This was definitely a bucket list tick. I am so humbled that my family got me such a wonderful, personal experience with a local, very experienced balloonist.
I would highly recommend Fly Navy Balloon team to anyone who would like to try a hot air balloon.
Thank you Rob & Tim

I booked the Balloon flight as a present for my daughter’s birthday. Rob was fantastic with keeping in touch, he was really friendly answering all my questions. On the evening of the flight my daughter and her husband helped with setting up and taking down the balloon which they said really added to the whole experience. When I asked my daughter after the flight how it went she said “it was one of the best experiences of my life”. I think that says it all, Thank you Rob.

From the moment we got there the whole thing was great. I am not great with heights but it never bothered me.

Learning about the ballon how it was set up, how we move and land was interesting. The whole flight put me at ease and was well explained are not rushed

I would go again anytime with rob. A true pro

When searching for creative ways to propose to propose to my partner, I came accross Fly Nany Ballooning and got in contact with Rob the pilot. He was extremely helpful and was able to answer all my questions and queeries swiftly, as he was very quick at replying via email and over the phone. After deciding against a flight with Virgin Experiences i decided to go with Rob beucase he was able to do provide the kind private flight I was looking for. The expeience itself was incredible! Stunning views and door to door service was really apprciated. Rob is clrealy a very experienced pilot and he did well to make us feel safe and secure in the basket. We also loved getting the chance to help setup and pack down too! If you're looking for a balloon flight then you won't find better than Rob!

Package included a full and magical experience of balloon flying. Our pilot Rob Schwab was great at explaining and answering questions.

Rob made our experience very special. He is very kind and caring and clearly loves flying. He pointed out lots of things along the way and chatted about flying and his past careers. We had a fantastic flight and really enjoyed ourselves.

Always wanted to go up in a balloon during the Bristol Balloon Fiesta. On 2 previous occasions, with other balloonists over the years, the weather has prevented this and have gone up on an available day later on. Still enjoyed it but it was not a fiesta flight which is my ambition.
Was unlucky again this time with Rob as 2023 weather has been particularly bad for balloonists. Rob let me know as soon as he knew there was going to be no flight, which saved me the journey down to the fiesta at 0500 hrs as well as the disappointment when getting there. The money was back in my bank account very quickly and I have now booked again with Rob for next years fiesta (fingers again crossed) going to try to get up as well this Autumn or spring 2024 with Rob weather permitting.

I picked FlyNavy for a balloon flight because I preferred not to share the occasion with strangers. I cannot compare with other operators as this was a once-in-a-lifetime bucket-list ‘tick’ and I have no experience of the others. I have no complaints about the service or care provided by these people, however. It was an event to remember and that’s what I paid for.

We had our flight cancelled due to bad weather and contacted Robert to ask about what would happen next. We were promptly asked for our bank details and within the hour I had a ping on my phone to say the money was refunded. We had paid a premium over other firms to have that piece of mind and glad we did. We are so pleased we selected him and would not hesitate to book again for next year.

Booked an exclusive birthday flight for 2 as a gift and it was brilliant. Kept well informed as we waited for a suitable weather window for the balloon flight. Able to take off close to home which was a bonus. Rob and team were very professional and personable at the same time. Encouraged to get involved with getting things ready for the flight and were able to help pack the balloon before returning to base by car.
An experience of a lifetime enjoying amazing views never seen before as we floated over the countryside.

Some years ago my mum had flown in a balloon, and as celebration for another big birthday, wanted to do it again. I did my homework, and seeing the pilots history, I knew we would be in safe hands with Fly Navy Ballooning.
Of course booking a balloon flight will always depend on the weather, but from the date of my original enquiry to the time when the perfect conditions eventually prevailed, we were kept completely updated by the Chief Pilot Rob.
On the day of our sunrise flight, we were included in assembling the balloon, fully briefed and felt 100% involved from the start.
The flight was truly amazing. I was stunned by Robs ability to steer the balloon to exact locations, even positioning us over a small lake to enable the balloon reflection to be observed and photographed. We even landed on a gold course fairway (approval had been gained by the ground crew), it really was all perfect.
The flight can also be enjoyed a second time, as after the champagne has settled you can watch the video of your flight that Rob provides, along with your certificate and pin with balloons registration number.
If you are looking for something different to do, or have done it before and want to do it again, I would fully recommend taking a flight with Rob and Fly Navy Ballooning.

One of the most fun and unique activities to do! I surprised my girlfriend, now fiance, with an evening flight for our engagement. Our pilot Rob and the team made the whole experience memorable with their professionalism but also relaxed and friendly approach and as first time flyers took any nerves away instantly with us getting involved with the set up to understand what to expect, which was also very fun to be part of. Given the bad weather in March, they were very accomadating and flexible keeping me informed on the best days and times to fly to ensure we got the best trip possible, with no issue or cost to change as required. Setting off from Haselbury Mill, just after 6pm, we got breathtaking views over the Ham Hill area as the sun set with a flight time well over an hour long including Champagne! We also recieved a GoPro video of the flight highlights, flight tracker of our route, certificate and FlyNavy pin. For anyone who has yet to try ballooning or is a frequent flyer I would highly recommend the Fly Navy team! We will certianly be flying again soon! Thank you!