Discover the work of a whole crew

Perhaps you have watched a balloon rise and wondered how to become part of the adventure. An outing with the club reveals what makes a flight possible - organisation, equipment and people working together. The ground crew is part of that experience.

Joining the ground crew does not mean knowing everything at your first meeting. Explain your experience and expectations, then follow the instructions of those supervising the outing. Some tasks may be assigned to you; others are first discovered through observation. Your role depends on the activity and the crew’s instructions.

Meet before preparing the balloon

The meeting gives everyone a chance to get acquainted and understand the planned activity. The briefing explains roles and instructions. This is the time to raise questions, availability constraints or difficulties that could affect your participation.

Before travelling, confirm the location, times, required equipment and transport arrangements. The club is based in Brussels, but its address is not a launch site. Outings take place at different locations depending on activities and conditions.

Observe preparation and inflation

Watching the envelope take shape changes how you see a hot air balloon. You discover the relationship between the basket, the balloon and the team’s work. Each action has a purpose, and coordination becomes clearer when you watch the preparation.

Participation takes place under supervision. Wait to be assigned a task and ask for an explanation if an instruction is unclear. It is entirely possible to learn by watching. You do not need to handle equipment to prove your interest.

Experience the outing and help with retrieval

After departure, the ground crew continues its role according to the outing’s organisation. Retrieving the balloon and packing away the equipment extend the activity. They show that the adventure does not end at landing and offer a chance to contribute to a shared effort.

Conversations after an outing are valuable - revisit an action you observed, ask a question and listen to explanations from more experienced people. Through these encounters, ballooning gradually becomes more familiar.

Join a hot air balloon club in Brussels

Montgolfières de Bruxelles ASBL welcomes enthusiasts from Brussels and Brabant, including Walloon Brabant. The €95 annual membership fee lets you join club life and receive invitations to activities organised by the association or its partners.

An opportunity to go up in the basket may arise depending on the outing, weather and available places. Membership is not a booking and guarantees no number of flights. It is primarily for people who want to participate, meet crews and share an interest in ballooning.

Let’s discuss your first outing

Would you like to discover the ground crew member’s role? Tell us your municipality, what draws you to ballooning and your usual availability. We can explain club activities and help you decide whether membership matches your interests.

Contact the club about membership ↗