Head Balloons, Inc.
PO Box 28
Helen, GA 30545
1-800-HEAD BALLONS
(706) 865-3874

Contact: Tarp Head

Tarpley Head began ballooning in the early 1970’s and was a partner in Adams Balloons from 1974 until 1980. He formed HEAD Balloons, Inc. in 1983. HEAD Balloons received its first Type Certificate in 1984. Since then, HEAD Balloons has type certified five other models and has received numerous Supplemental Type Certificates.

Getting back to the basics, back to hand-crafted quality and ruggedness is what HEAD Balloons is all about. The HEAD Balloons system is a refinement of many years of experience. Each balloon is individually custom built to your design. The envelope shape is pleasant to the eye and the design adapts itself well to artwork. The use of modular panel construction allows endless no charge color patterns. This modular design also makes for easy panel replacement, which reduces the cost of repairs. The basket features HEAD’s "DURA-WEAVE" and "ENDURO-FRAME" roll cage type construction. These designs help to make it the most durable basket available in the industry today. The HEAD DB II burner system is actually a redundant burner system built into one housing. The use of multiple orifice technology makes the DB II an efficient, yet quiet burner.

HEAD Balloons offers two deflation systems. Standard is the familiar parachute top. The geometry of the control lines has been optimized to make the Head parachute top one of the easiest direct pull parachute tops available. For those who desire an even easier pull, an optional pulley system is available. HEAD also offers its unique parachute/pop combination top. The para/pop combination incorporates a 360o parachute valve style vent with the rapid deflation capabilities of the pop top for those high wind landings.

In addition to complete systems, HEAD Balloons is the leader in the development of quality, tough and reasonably priced replacement envelopes. HEAD Balloons was the first to obtain Supplemental Type Certificates which allows the use of HEAD envelopes with other manufacturers’ basket and burner systems.

Currently, HEAD Balloons has STC’s for using baskets and burner of 5 other manufacturers.

HEAD Balloons has a two year/300 hour warranty on materials and workmanship.

Hand-crafted Quality, Reliability and Ruggedness have come to be the trademarks of HEAD Balloons. Since all balloons are individually custom crafted, HEAD Balloons can give each customer the type of individual attention only they can offer. From the crown line to the skids, top quality materials with attention to details, assure hundreds of safe and dependable flights. HEAD Balloons brings the maximum amount of enjoyment with the least amount of work to the sport of hot air ballooning, making it safer and easier.

STANDARD EQUIPMENT

ENVELOPE: HEAD offers either a 16 or a 24 gore ("B" models are 16 gore). A horizontal cut is standard. 18 standard colors: Red, Orange, Yellow, Kelly Green, Lime Green, Turquoise, Gray, Purple, Orchid, Lt. Pink, Fuchsia, Navy Blue, Royal Blue, Light Blue, Black, White, Maroon, Tan. Any panel may be any color at no extra charge. A Nomex throat and a Nomex skirt or scoop are also standard. 7 Nomex colors: Red, Orange, Yellow, Navy Blue, Royal Blue, Black and White. Standard fabric is 1.9 oz. ripstop nylon with silicon or polyurethane coating, both coatings also include ultraviolet inhibitors. Other fabric weights are also available. The parachute deflation system is standard.

BASKET: HEAD offers two basket styles, the Classic and the Regent. The standard size basket of each style is a spacious 44" x 48". Both are available in a Stretch version (standard on AX9-118), 44" x 54", or a Compact version (standard on AX7-67), 40" x 42". The HEAD baskets feature HEAD’s unique "DURA-WEAVE" and "ENDURO-FRAME" in its construction. The baskets are woven from a mixture of round reed rattan around HEAD’s unique "DURA-WEAVE" basket spokes (1/4" solid nylon rod spokes). The whole basket is built around Head’s unique "ENDURO-FRAME", a rollcage framework of 1" nylon rod and aircraft quality aluminum tubing. The floor is fabricated from 3/4" marine plywood and is protected by 2" x 2" hard maple skids. This combination of tough, resilient materials helps makes the HEAD Basket the most rugged in the industry. The roll cage type construction helps to protect the occupants for those unexpected high wind landings. Four removable nylon rod uprights support the burner and no wrenches are need for assembly. The load frame and the gimbal frame is made from polished stainless steel. The basket railings and the uprights are padded with foam, then covered with rich suede leather. Heavy scuff leather is laced around the bottom edge of the basket. Each balloon comes with two 15 gallon stainless steel fuel tanks or four 10 gallon aluminum tanks, the Ball M55 instrument pack, refueling adapter and an accessory pouch.

BURNER: The DB II burner system while it appears to be a single burner, it is really more. The burner is two redundant systems all the way up to the coils. Two separate fuel systems feed two separate blast valves fabricated into the one housing. The burner is normally flown using one blast valve at a time. Using a single blast valve, the burner produces approximately 10 million BTU’s at 100 psi and approximately 13 million BTU’s at 120 psi. The second blast valve not only gives you redundancy with the same power, it also gives added power. By opening both blast valves at the same time the burner output is increased from 45 - 70% depending upon the fuel pressure. The DB II burner uses multiple orifice technology to reduce the noise level. There are independent dual vapor pilot lights, each of which is connected to its own separate regulator. The burner housing is fabricated from polished stainless steel. The burner mounts quickly and easily by means of quick pins and has a 360o gimbal with over 45o of lean. As an option, two DB II burners may be mounted in the gimbal frame. The double DB II burner system is standard on the AX8-119 and also comes with a liquid fire valve.

Full System

Model	Size	Price
AX7-67B	67,000 cu. ft.	$13,950.00
AX7-77B	77,000	14,350.00
AX7-77	77,000	14,840.00
AX8-88B	88,000	14,320.00
AX8-88	88,000	15,840.00 
AX8-105	105,000	17,005.00
AX9-118	118,500	19,850.00 

Envelope Only
Model	Price
AX7-67B	$8,410.00
AX7-77B	8,830.00	Envelope only prices include
AX7-77	9,310.00	cable hook-up for your basket,
AX8-88B	9,820.00	all FAA paperwork and pyrometer 
AX8-88	10,300.00	cables.
AX8-105	11,500.00
AX9-118	12,700.00 

Options
Para/pop Combination top(77&88/105&118)	$400.00/450.00
Regent Basket	375.00
44" x 54" Stretch basket	450.00
Additional Fuel Tank	-10 gal aluminum	310.00
	-15 gal stainless	975.00
Additional Fuel Tank w/Pilot Valve add	55.00
Basket Cover (uprights removed)	115.00
Burner Bag	85.00
Drop Line w/case & carabiner	45.00
Tank Cover (10 gal/15 gal)	55.00/60.00
Kevlar Suspension Lines (16/24 gore)	375.00/475.00
Turning Vents (2)	400.00 
Std. Aircraft Instruments deduct	250.00
Accent rattan color (One color standard)	30.00/color
Optional leather color (brown is standard)	N/C

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