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Sport / Experimental Hot Air Balloons

Apex Balloons can manufacture any possible size, design and style of Experimental or Sport hot air balloon. From perfectly flat panels to the most extreme bulbous gores, any combination of styles can be built. We specialize in a completely custom design to fit your requirements, preferences, or even guilty pleasures. Want a Racer with smooth gores? Easy! A flat-paneled natural shape envelope for artwork? Simple! How about a curvy, voluptuous envelope design to showcase your favorite colors? No problem!

Using state-of-the-art 3D CAD software, designing, creating and building complex artwork or logos into your envelope is our specialty. Racer shapes, appendage balloons, and special shape balloons of almost any possible design are available.

We're big on using the lightweight ripstop nylons made popular by the parachute industry and balloon homebuilders alike. These lightweight fabrics weigh about half of what normal balloon fabric does, and the life expectancy of a typical lightweight balloon envelope does not suffer terribly when taken proper care of.

Packing and handling small balloons made from this lightweight fabric is a dream! If you're sick and tired of hauling around a heavy balloon, you'll certainly fall in love with a lightweight system for fun flying. A typical two-place envelope can be kept under 100 lbs. with lightweight fabric. One-person solo balloons easily fit into the ultralight category.

As an Experimental hot air balloon, you can carry passengers and fly at balloon festivals without any hassles. Insurance is typically less expensive than a standard balloon, because you will not be flying passengers for hire.

Please contact us with any requirements or design suggestions you may have.

I've either built or assisted with portions of designing and/or building many balloons over nearly the past decade. Here are a few that I've helped bring to life in some way - click on each thumbnail for a larger photo:

• Designed full system
• Constructed

"Oscar"

Radowski AX-5
42,000 cu. ft.
Ultralight

• Constructed

"Twist 'N Shout"

Custom Nine Designs W-100
100,000 cu. ft.
STC'd / Standard Airworthiness
Built for Sally Sudderth

• Assisted in construction

Custom Nine Designs W-100
100,000 cu. ft.
STC'd / Standard Airworthiness
Built for Nick Moehlmann

• Constructed

"The Bear Ship IV"

Custom Nine Designs W-100
100,000 cu. ft.
STC'd / Standard Airworthiness
Built for Andre Boucher

• Designed envelope
• Assisted in construction

"Limelight"

Sproul 48K-16
48,000 cu. ft.
Experimental
Builder: Keith Sproul

• Designed envelope
• Constructed

"Pointless"

Custom Nine Designs W-100
100,000 cu. ft.
STC'd / Standard Airworthiness

• Constructed

"Captain America"

Custom Nine Designs W-140
140,000 cu. ft.
STC'd / Standard Airworthiness
Built for Robin & Ken Loesser

• Designed envelope

"Indecision"

Sproul 73K-24
73,000 cu. ft.
Experimental
Builder: Keith Sproul

• Assisted in construction

Boland 73K
73,000 cu. ft.
Experimental
Builder: Jack Klein

 

 

 

 

 

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All contents and images © 2000-2008 Jon Radowski. All rights reserved.