Info

Charities

We support local organizations including:

  • Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy
  • All Souls Counseling
  • Manna Food Bank
  • Blue Ridge Pride
  • Pisgah Legal Services
  • Asheville Area Arts Council

Location

R.O. Franks Aviation Company is world headquartered in E.W. Grove’s world famous Grove Arcade with in walking distance of Asheville’s best restaurants, hotels and shopping. See the “Links” page on our website to find other exciting ways to spend your time while in Asheville.

Pilot R. Addison M. Brown is a third generation commercial Hot Air Balloon pilot with 15 years of piloting experience; continuing a family tradition started in 1981.

Day of Flight Info

We meet the morning of your flight at the Grove Arcade just before sunrise. Weather permitting we’re usually aloft just in time to see the sunrise over the mountains. By the time we arrive back into downtown the city will have awakened ready to welcome you to a full day of sight seeing and activities. Breakfast is just around the corner at any one of the many great breakfast spots in downtown!

Launch sites are determined the morning of the flight. We will usually launch just a few miles from downtown and fly back over the city. Some mornings we are unable to fly over the city and will go further out towards Candler or Leicester.

Asheville Hot Air Balloon Rides, the dot com home of R.O. Franks Aviation Company, specializes in providing one of the most fun things to do in Asheville: private, daily, hot air balloon rides. If you’re visiting the mountains of Asheville, hot air ballooning is the way to see it all!"