We became an Authorized Dealer for The BalloonWorks because we believe there is no other system available that has incorporated as many thoughtful considerations to make the sport as safe and as pleasurable as possible. Balloons tm are made at The BalloonWorks in Statesville, North Carolina. More of a craftsman's workshop than a factory, The BalloonWorks is where all aspects of a FireFly Balloon are designed and crafted. It's a place with the earthy, friendly smells of wood shavings, leather and wicker. Over 1200 separate inspections take place during the construction of each balloon.
Every fuel tank is pressure-checked.
Every roll of fabric is tested for tensile and tear strength, porosity and color variations, and flaws in weaving, before it's labeled airworthy. Each panel is inspected as it's sewn into its gore, and each completed gore is again inspected as it moves from one sewing station to another. Sewing machines are calibrated twice a day, every day, to ensure consistent conformity with their sewing specifications. When each balloon is finished, it's inspected again, fully assembled and inflated on the test field, under flight conditions. This almost fanatical attention to detail results in a quality-control program that is unrivaled in the ballooning industry.