Boland Balloon
Post Mills Airport
PO Box 51
Post Mills, VT 05058
(802) 333-9254

Contact: Brian Boland

An alternative approach to creating and owning a balloon, Boland Balloon offers plans, complete or quick-build kits, or Build Your Own Balloon sessions (aka Balloon Camp).

Ultralights and Complete Ready-to-Fly Balloons or Components

These systems are incredibly lightweight, compact and portable. The envelopes and baskets typically weigh only half of other balloons of the same volume. The rugged, secure baskets can be quickly collapsed and folded into a 4" tall carry case. Eighty-two different envelope sizes and models are offered in either 8 or 12 gore configurations. Volumes range from 14,000 to 102,000 cubic feet, carrying one to six people.

Sixteen different undercarriages are offered, ranging from harness suits and cylinder seats to collapsible baskets for one to six occupants. Some have an optional full door for entry and exit.

Standard fabric is 1.1 oz/yd calendared 30 denier ripstop nylon. An optional 1.3 oz. silicone-impregnated version of the same fabric is also available. These materials are well-proven spin-offs of the parachute industry.

The Five Approaches to This Fun Stuff

• Plan-Instruction Manuals: For each specific size envelope and undercarriage, plan books take you step-by-step through the entire building process and tell exact materials and tools needed in sequence.
• Quick-Build Kits: 82 different balloon sizes/models offered. The envelope panels and basket parts are all pre-cut and labeled. You just put the pieces of the puzzle together which gets you a finished balloon more quickly. Other parts are basically finished and tested and just need to be clipped in or on for flight. The Quick-Build Kit still fits the FAA 51 percent rule as you’d be doing at least 51 percent of the construction and thus fit the experimental amateur built classification. I estimate that a 3-place 66,000 cubic foot balloon Quick-Build system should take about 130-150 hours to complete and be ready to fly.
• Balloon or Blimp Building Camp: You come to Post Mills for one to three weeks to build your own balloon (Blimps take a little longer to build). I work with you and a friend or two using all in-house or custom-ordered materials. My expertise, sewing skills, shop, tools and machinery will be at your disposal during this period. You’ll gain a tremendous rapid insight into the whole building process and go home with your finished, tested, complete balloon or Blimp.
• Ultralights: More than 40 of the sizes and models can fit the part 103 ultralight category and don’t require registration, certification, annual inspections or licensing (we do insist on some training). Under Part 103 balloons must weigh under 155 lbs. and be flown solo. Airships must weigh under 254 lbs. to fit this solo-ultralight category.
• Complete Balloons or Components: We’ll put any balloon, basket, component or system together into a finished ready-to-fly state. The items we offer are all spelled out and described in the information kit. Pricing is à la carte, but examples are given on how to pick and choose and put a whole balloon system together. A very comprehensive, complete 57-page literature package on Boland Balloon and what’s available is offered for $16.

Example of putting together a complete three-place balloon system:

Component		Plans & Inst Only	Quick Build Kit	Balloon Camp	Fully assembled
Envelope 66-12 gore		$200	$5,194	$6,943	$7,791
Basket 30"x40"		$100	$1,100	$1,650	$2,200
2 cyl hang clips		$10	$40	$50	$60
4 cyl straps		--	$50	$50	$50
Load Ring/Burner frame		$20	$120	$125	$130
Instruments		$10	$130	$130	$130
2 cylinders		--	$800	$800	$800
2 cyl jkts/closed cell pad		$10	$80	$100	$120
Burner		--	$800	$800	$800
Propane hoses		$10	$400	$400	$400
Burner Bag-Padded		$10	$50	$70	$90
Tools, 3 strickers, wrench, pliers, 2 pr gloves	--	$50	$50	$50
Totals		$370	$8,814	$10,718	$12,621

Table of Contents