AirHound Adventures brings the science, history, and wonder of hot air ballooning directly to your homeschooled students! Tailored specifically for students in middle school and below—yet engaging for all ages—our interactive STEM program makes the "impossible" feel reachable for small pods of 15 students up to large co-op field days.

Flexible Options for Every Educational Budget

We believe financial constraints should never prevent a child from experiencing the thrill of aviation. We offer two distinct program paths with flexible payment and sponsorship options to fit every group's needs:

Full Hands-On Experience (12 Students Max) (StepUp & Self-Pay Options):
- An immersive, crew-level STEM demonstration featuring walk-in envelope access, burner testing, and a weather-permitting tethered flight. Families can register via self-pay or utilize state education funding. CLICK HERE
Volunteer-Sponsored Standard Demonstrations:
- While commercial events of this scale typically cost per hour, our pilots and crew donate their time, equipment, and expertise to deliver an engaging, ground-based static demonstration accessible to all homeschool pods, co-ops, and learning communities.

Ready to bring the magic of aviation to your learners? Please complete our quick booking request form, and Lead Pilot will reach out to discuss location details, site space, and scheduling windows.

CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT THE FORM

Homeschool Co-ops & Large Groups

Group Sizing: Tailored for learning pods, multi-family networks, and full co-op gatherings (recommended for groups of 15+ students).
Our Dedicated Flight Field: Host your group at our primary launch site just minutes from 45590 US-27 in Davenport, FL, fully prepped for field demonstrations and safe morning operations.
On-Site Field Visits (We Travel to You): Prefer to stay local? We can bring the aircraft, high-output burner system, and crew directly to your co-op facility, community park, or private acreage (subject to travel fees and open field clearance requirements).

Individual Homeschoolers & Independent Families

Semi-Monthly Launch Site Field Days: Not part of a formal co-op? Join us at our local balloon launch site for our our demonstrations!
Smaller Setting: Bring your student to experience our complete STEM curriculum and hot air balloon display in an intimate group setting alongside other independent homeschool families.

What Students Will Learn

Our hands-on STEM curriculum covers the complete science and story of aviation from ground to sky:

History of Hot Air Flight – How human aviation began long before airplanes.
The Basic Science of Hot Air Flight – Understanding heat, density, and thermal buoyancy.
How Air Balloons are Built – Envelope materials, load tapes, and structural design.
The Process to Become a Licensed Pilot – FAA training, flight hours, and aviation requirements.
How to Fly – Navigating the air, controlling altitude, and catching wind currents without a steering wheel.
How the Burner Works – The mechanics behind generating massive heat on command.
How the Fuel is Used – Propane systems, liquid-to-gas conversion, and fuel safety.
Flyable and Non-Flyable Weather – Wind speeds, thermal activity, and reading forecast conditions.
Walk in the Balloon – Cold inflation experience going inside our dedicated walk-in envelope.
Inflation & Deflation – Watching the step-by-step transition from flat fabric to a 115-foot standing balloon.
Pack Up – Hands-on student participation in squeezing the air out and bagging the envelope.

The Event Step-by-Step

Arrival & Setup (30 Mins)
Our team arrives with an enclosed trailer. Because the gear is heavy, our vehicle must drive directly onto the designated field. Setup takes about 30 minutes.
Equipment Intro & Q&A
Students gather around the basket to inspect the burners and equipment up close with Lead Pilot Max. Curiosity is encouraged—the more questions, the better!
The Cold Inflation (Walk Inside!)
We fill a specialized envelope with cold air using a high-powered fan. Students step inside the fabric to see the load lines and internal structure.
(Note: The inflation fan is loud; students with noise sensitivities may want ear protection or distance during this step).
Standing the Balloon (Hot Inflation)
Everyone steps back to a safe distance as the pilot fires the burners, heating the air to stand the balloon upright to its full height (~115 feet).
For eligible Full Hands-On program participants, if weather and wind conditions are 100% safe, students climb into the basket for an exclusive tethered balloon ride!
Hands-On Pack Up
Students become the crew! Learners help roll on the deflating envelope to "squeeze" out the air and line up to guide the massive fabric back into its storage bag.
Basket & Burner Test
Students climb into the basket to test the burner controls firsthand under pilot supervision—no risk of lift-off, just plenty of heat and excitement!

Safety, Expectations & Operational Rules

Supervision & Expectations: Parents, group leaders, and educators are responsible for student behavior and must remain present throughout the entire event. Our crew focuses on balloon operations and cannot supervise students. AirHound Adventures reserves the right to pause or terminate the event if safety rules are not followed.
Flight & Tether Guidelines: Standard demonstrations are ground-based, static displays. Tethered flights are available exclusively through our Full Hands-On program and are conducted strictly at the pilot’s discretion when weather conditions permit.
Site Approvals: Group leaders must secure all necessary site permissions prior to our crew's arrival.

Weather & Contingency Plans

Hot air balloons are highly sensitive to weather conditions. To ensure total safety:

Operating Limits: We cannot inflate the balloon if ground winds (or winds up to 115 feet) exceed 5 MPH.
Weather Tracking: We track forecasts 3 days out. Lead Pilot Max makes the official Go/No-Go call by 6:00 PM the evening before the event.
Contingency Options: If outdoor inflation is cancelled, we can:
1. Reschedule for a backup date.

Volunteer Requirements & Insurance

Adult Volunteers Needed: We require 3 adult volunteers (18+) capable of lifting 50+ lbs and comfortable kneeling and standing repeatedly to assist with setup and pack-up. (If your group cannot provide volunteers, please notify us during booking).
Licensing & Insurance: AirHound Adventures is fully licensed and insured. We are happy to issue a Certificate of Insurance (COI) naming your organization, co-op, or venue as an Additional Insured upon request.

Schedule or Join a Demonstration

Ready to schedule a demonstration for your co-op or reserve a spot for your student at an upcoming launch site field day?

Please complete the form below. Once submitted, Lead Pilot Max will reach out directly to evaluate site space requirements, review weather availability windows, or provide details for our next semi-monthly launch site event!

HOMESchool Educational Demonstration