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Choose your workflow to begin.
FlightFlow
Flight & Forecast
Chosen location: Keynsham
Enter reg first, then save or amend stored balloon profile weights.
Stored balloons will appear here.
Balloon profile & stored weights Usually set once per balloon. Enter reg first, then load or amend before saving.
Balloon profile ready.
Passenger weights
Load & lift inputs
Operating thresholds
Setup outputs
Launch status
--
Decision reason
--
Total load (kg)
--
Load status
--
Spare lift (kg)
--
Surface wind / gusts
--
Drift extreme bearings
--
Drift extreme range
--
This page is the only place that sets the shared flight inputs. Flight Pack and Drift Map inherit these values.
This tool supports flight planning and in-flight awareness, bringing key information together in one place. Pilots should use it alongside appropriate sources and apply their own judgement and training when making decisions. Data, mapping, and tracking are provided from external and device sources and may vary.
Flight Pack — one-page summary
Launch
--
Date
--
Weather
--
Efficiency
--
Time
--
Duration
--
Load
--
Ceiling
--
Balloon
--
Pilot
--
Overall
--
Thermals
--
QNH
--
Drift range
--
Reason
--
Extra MET detail
Expandable technical layer for pilots who want more than the quick operational summary.
Humidity
--
Temp / dew spread
--
Visibility
--
Rain risk
--
Precip amount
--
Pressure trend
--
Gust spread
--
Instability signal
--
TimeRHSpreadRainVisPressure
Load forecast to populate extra MET detail.
Wind & temperature profile
HeightDir / BearingSpeed (kt)Temp (°C)Notes
Load & operating notes
Lift available
Pilot
Passengers
Cylinders
Gas
Envelope
Basket
Burner
Miscellaneous
Manifest hours
Spare available lift
Weather overview
Surface
Upper max
Drift trend
Weather note
Load note
Share summary
This tool supports flight planning and in-flight awareness, bringing key information together in one place. Pilots should use it alongside appropriate sources and apply their own judgement and training when making decisions. Data, mapping, and tracking are provided from external and device sources and may vary.
Share or print the current Flight Pack summary.
Met — pilot technical breakdown
Focused met window for the launch. This page stays operational rather than becoming a full weather app.
Customise MET View
Choose a simple, detailed, or custom pilot view. Your preference is saved on this device.
Simple
Launch
--
Date
--
Launch time
--
Condition
--
QNH
--
Dew point
--
Surface temp
--
Surface wind / gusts
--
Live Radar
Current conditions only
Embedded Windy live weather map for current operational awareness. Opens on radar/cloud weather view and is not linked to the selected flight date unless opened through Live Radar nowcast mode.
Radar loading…
Location pending
Cloud
Cloud base
--
Cloud type
--
Coverage
--
Layer mix
--
Load forecast to populate cloud information.
Inversion & landing risk
Inversion status
--
Estimated drop window
--
Surface wind after mix
--
Landing risk
--
--
Wind gradient — 250 ft increments
Select the hour to view the full wind stack without adding extra scroll.
HeightTrackFromBearingSpeedTemp
Launch window — 3 hours either side
TimeCondWindGustTempDew
Window is centred on the selected launch time using the same Open-Meteo forecast pull.
5-day AM / PM overview
Load forecast to populate the next 5 days.
Weather data source
This section identifies the forecast source used for the MET page. If the planner uses a different regional source or a future Met Office validation layer, this source cell should update so pilots can see where the data has come from.
Primary source
--
Data route
--
Forecast pulled
--
Forecast location
--
Load forecast to populate source information.
Local NOTAMs
UK Phase 1 source: NATS AIS Contingency PIB feed, retrieved via FlightFlow Netlify proxy and filtered around the confirmed launch location where coordinates can be identified. This is for situational awareness only; pilots remain responsible for obtaining and reviewing the official briefing.
NOTAM source
NATS AIS Contingency PIB
Data route
Netlify proxy
Radius
50 nm from launch
Region
UK Phase 1
Status
Not checked
Last checked
--
Load forecast first, then load local NOTAMs.
Share MET
Share the full MET page data by phone share sheet or WhatsApp.
Drift Map — altitude drift spokes
Launch
--
Date
--
Time
--
Flight Time
--
Launch status
--
Overall
--
Reason
--
Drift Mode
Simple = launch wind. Progressive = curved path through selected flight time.
Map loading…
Press Change Launch Location, then long-press the new launch point on the map.
SA Layers
SA guidance Personal SAs are managed on the SAs page. National SAs are optional pilot-imported files. Airspace and Airfields use embedded BBAC files supplied with this build; use the latest official source for operational planning.
Altitude vector data
HeightDir / BearingSpeedDistanceEnd PointTarget fit
SAs
TIME
--
SPD
-- kt
TRK
--°
ALT
-- ft
DIST
-- nm
Ready.
-- -- ↑
Passenger Briefing
Passenger-facing safety briefing in simple step-by-step order from arrival through landing.
Arrival at Launch Field
  • Stay next to the vehicle until instructed otherwise.
  • Follow all pilot and crew instructions at all times.
  • Be aware of moving vehicles on the field.
  • No smoking, vaping, or dangerous items.
During Setup / Inflation
  • Keep clear of the fan (minimum 2 metres).
  • Do not stand between the vehicle and basket.
  • Keep loose clothing, hair, and jewellery secured.
  • Do not enter the setup area unless instructed.
Boarding the Basket
  • Use the footholes / steps to get in and out.
  • Be aware the basket may move during boarding.
  • Ask for assistance if required.
  • Do not climb or stand on seats.
During the Flight
  • Do not touch controls, ropes, or pilot equipment.
  • Keep all body parts inside the basket.
  • Do not lean over the edge.
  • Do not drop anything overboard.
  • Photos and videos are allowed, but no live calls or video calls during the flight.
Landing Position (Critical)
  • Hold rope handles with both hands.
  • Feet together, knees slightly bent.
  • Back pressed firmly into padding.
  • Face the direction instructed by the pilot.
  • Stay in position until told otherwise.
Landing & After Landing
  • Expect multiple contacts or bumps on landing.
  • Remain in landing position until instructed.
  • Do not exit the basket until told.
  • Exit using footholes — do not jump.
Crew Briefing
Quick, field-ready briefing — what we actually do on launch.
Arrival / Field Prep
  • Stay aware of vehicles, public, and obstacles
  • Follow instructions — don’t assume
  • Lift properly — team lifts only
  • Keep the area tidy and controlled
Fan (High Risk Area)
  • Check area is clear before starting
  • Secure clothing, hair, loose items
  • Know the kill switch
  • Hold it steady — don’t let it move
  • Never move or tip while running
  • Keep people clear
Throat (Mouth)
  • Hold the mouth open and flat
  • Keep airflow clean into the envelope
  • Watch ropes and cables underfoot
  • Adjust smoothly — don’t just let go
  • Move away when told
Crown Line (Controlled Lift)
  • Start with light tension during cold inflation
  • Add gentle control as heat comes in
  • Increase pressure as the balloon lifts
  • Help bring the basket upright smoothly
  • Keep it steady — no sudden movements
  • Never wrap rope around yourself
Launch
  • Weight On — full weight, feet on ground
  • Light Hands — ready, minimal contact
  • Hands Off — release and step back
  • Keep feet clear of basket movement
Landing
  • Stay clear of the front of the basket
  • Approach from sides or behind
  • Be ready to take weight
  • Follow pilot instructions only
Landing Card — flight finish
A human-readable name for the landing card and Personal SA record.
Tap to save your current GPS position into the landing GPS field, then send the Google Maps pin.
Save to Personal SA’s
Uses the landing nickname/title, GPS and landowner/contact details from this card.
Landing summary
Launch location
Flight date
Launch time
Landing nickname
Landing GPS
Landing time
Landowner
Contact
Address
Comments
Flight Track Viewer
Select a saved flight record to view the track.
Saved flight tracks can be reviewed as QNH height or AGL relative to the recorded start altitude.
Replay layers
SAs — saved local map layer
SAs are your own saved landing knowledge, separate from national BBAC SAs, and automatically show as subtle green/red 200m rings on the Drift Map.
National SAs
Optional pilot-uploaded national SA overlay. This app does not supply or verify national SAs — use the latest official file for your own flight planning.
No national SA file loaded.
Share / merge Personal SAs
Export creates a small local Personal SA file that another pilot can import. Import merges SAs into this device and keeps the Drift Map layer updated.
Ready to export or merge saved SAs.
Add / edit site
SA boundary
Boundaries are edited from an existing saved SA. Save the site first, then use Edit Boundary from the Saved SAs list.
Saved SAs stay on this device and appear on the Drift Map.
Saved SAs
--
SA Boundary Editor
Hidden editing page. Tap points around the field boundary, close the shape, then save it back into the selected Personal SA.
Selected SA
--
Type
--
Boundary
--
Open an existing Personal SA to edit its boundary.
Flight Records — save to phone and print
Current flight record
Save flight record creates a standalone flight file for the phone and also keeps a copy in the saved list below.
Current record summary
--
Saved flights on this device
--
These saved flights stay on this device in browser storage. The downloadable flight record file can then be kept separately on the phone and opened later without the main planner.
Tether Setup
Ground Conditions
Weather not loaded
Surface wind
--
Bearing / travel
--
Gusts
--
Weather
--
Rain chance
--
WindowWindGustTravelling
Load tether weather to show -1 hr / selected / +1 hr wind window.
No tether running.
Source appears after loading tether weather.
Set a start time, then slide in 1-hour steps.
Start+2h+4h+6h+8h
Live Radar
Current conditions only
Embedded Windy live weather map for tether decisions on site. Uses current conditions only.
Radar loading…
Location pending
Surface Drift / Layout Awareness
Load tether weather to draw a surface downwind awareness line from the tether site.
Tether Log Records
Start and finish a tether to generate a logbook-ready summary.
Training
Structured training flow. Expand later with notes, PDFs, or videos.
1. Arrival & Field Setup
  • Safe arrival and parking
  • Field awareness
  • Initial setup positioning
2. Equipment Offload
  • Safe lifting
  • Controlled unloading
  • Equipment placement
3. Basket Orientation & Prep
  • Front / back identification
  • Launch direction
  • Positioning
4. Rigging the Basket
  • Poles fitted
  • Carabiners orientation
  • Pole covers
  • Gas lines
  • Burner test
5. Fuel System Setup
  • Cylinder direction
  • Primary vs slave
  • Manifold awareness
6. Basket to Side Position
  • Controlled tip
  • Crew positioning
  • Stability checks
7. Envelope Setup
  • Correct distance
  • Unpacking
  • Wind alignment
8. Envelope Connections
  • Lines attached
  • Turning vents
  • Candy line first
9. Envelope Deployment
  • Pull out
  • Stretch
  • No twists
10. Crown Setup
  • Tabbing in
  • Crown line secure
11. Crew Role Training
  • Crown line handling
  • Fan safety
  • Manifold awareness
12. Inflation & Uprighting
  • Basket upright
  • Crew positions
  • Pilot comms
13. Final Rigging
  • Crown line in
  • Carabiner attach
  • Scoop attach
14. Pilot-Controlled Phase
  • Follow pilot only
  • Launch support
How To Use The Flight Planner

1. Flight Setup

Enter your launch location using either the search box, recent locations, current GPS position or direct latitude / longitude entry.

Select either:

  • Manual — enter your own launch time
  • Sunrise — auto loads local sunrise launch time
  • Evening — auto loads evening launch time

Press Confirm location & load forecast to retrieve weather, winds, QNH, cloud and drift information.

2. MET Page

The MET page provides a quick operational overview including:

  • Conditions summary
  • Cloud base and cloud type
  • Surface and upper winds
  • Temperature and dew point
  • QNH
  • Hourly wind layers and drift overview

3. Drift Map

The drift page shows estimated flight direction at multiple heights. Each spoke represents expected travel direction for that altitude.

Use this to:

  • Check likely landing areas
  • Avoid airspace issues
  • Compare different flying levels
  • Plan fly-ins and events

4. Passenger & Balloon Data

Passenger names and weights can be entered manually and saved. Balloon profiles can also be stored for quick reuse.

The planner automatically calculates payload totals and fuel figures using the saved balloon data.

5. In Flight Tracking

The Flight Flow page provides live GPS flight tracking.

  • Live altitude
  • Track direction
  • Distance travelled
  • Ground speed
  • QNH / altitude reference

Press Start at launch and End after landing. The system stores the full flight track for later review.

6. Landing Card

Record landing details including:

  • Landing location
  • Landowner information
  • Comments and notes
  • Friendly / avoid landing area references

7. Save Flight Record

Saved flight records store:

  • Flight times
  • Launch and landing details
  • Passenger information
  • Weather and QNH
  • Balloon and fuel data
  • Live GPS flight track

Records are stored locally on the device and can also be downloaded as standalone files.

8. View Flight Track

Open a saved flight and press View Flight to display the recorded track on the interactive map viewer.

Tap the blue track line at any point to display the recorded altitude and time for that section of the flight.

9. Landing Areas

Landing Areas allow pilots to store useful launch and landing sites directly onto the map system for future reference.

  • Good launch sites
  • Good landing fields
  • Avoid / sensitive areas
  • Notes and descriptions

10. Important Notes

  • This system is an operational planning aid only.
  • Pilot judgement always takes priority.
  • Weather data may update or change between forecasts.
  • Always comply with local aviation regulations and permissions.
This tool supports flight planning and in-flight awareness, bringing key information together in one place. Pilots should use it alongside appropriate sources and apply their own judgement and training when making decisions. Data, mapping, and tracking are provided from external and device sources and may vary.
Updates
Current build notes for FlightFlow testers and pilots. Summary updates only — not a full technical change log.
V332 — 08 June 2026
Live radar and cloud map upgrade
Current
  • Added embedded Windy live weather mapping to FlightFlow for improved radar and cloud awareness.
  • Live Radar is available from the Home page, MET page and Quick Tether workflow.
  • Replaced the previous precipitation-map test with an interactive radar/cloud view that supports local zooming and animation.
  • Designed to help pilots assess current rain and cloud movement without leaving FlightFlow.
V278 — 25 May 2026
Embedded BBAC airfields layer
  • Added an embedded BBAC airfields layer using the supplied static file, so pilots do not need to import it separately.
  • Layer is toggleable on the Drift Map and In Flight map.
  • Airfield markers show the available BBAC waypoint details in a map popup.
V277 — 24 May 2026
Drift Map launch-location replanning
  • Drift Map now includes a Change Launch Location workflow for testing alternative launch sites without restarting the plan.
  • Long-press on the Drift Map now moves the launch location instead of running the old altitude-advice action.
  • Setup location, MET forecast and drift calculations refresh from the new launch point while keeping the selected date, time and flight settings.
V267 — 06 May 2026
Quick Flight and startup location restore fix
  • Quick Flight floating shortcut button added for fast access directly to live flight tracking.
  • Startup location restore now clears broken saved locations where the label exists but coordinates are invalid, preventing 0.0000, 0.0000 forecast pulls.
V232 — 05 May 2026
FlightFlow visual refresh and setup improvements
  • New FlightFlow branding added with simplified header.
  • Dark Nexus Aero background style applied across the app.
  • Location search now waits until at least three letters are entered.
  • Recent locations now transfer back into the launch box and auto-find correctly.
  • Google Earth export remains retained in the saved flight workflow.
  • QNH now refreshes directly from the latest forecast pull each time forecast data is loaded.
  • Flight Pack and drift summary layouts tightened for less scrolling on mobile.
  • Styled Google Earth export added with cyan track, altitude curtain, and launch/landing markers.
  • Internal cleanup pass completed: removed old dead references without changing the pilot workflow.
  • Internal map viewer/editor pages hidden from normal Next/Prev navigation.
  • Live flight tracking now requests screen wake lock so tablets/phones stay awake during active tracking where supported.
  • Live flight End now stops tracking, saves landing time/GPS, and opens the Landing Card automatically.
  • In-flight page now opens with the live map positioned cleanly below the Flight Flow navigation bar.
  • Flight Flow navigation arrow enlarged so the top bar reads more clearly as a dropdown control.
  • In-flight page now hides the logo band so the live map starts directly below the Flight Flow navigation bar.
  • In-flight map given extra top clearance so Leaflet controls are not clipped by the Flight Flow navigation bar.
  • MET source panel now uses the confirmed launch-location label and coordinates, avoiding conflicting reverse-geocoded address text.
  • Passenger and Crew briefing page titles updated for clarity.
  • Saved balloon profile dropdown added beside Balloon Reg, with Balloon Type/Make stored in each profile.
  • Print Summary changed to direct browser print action so Android/Chrome treats it as a real user-triggered print request.
  • Bottom Prev/Next navigation order corrected so Help and Updates pages move correctly.
Build note policy
How updates will be recorded from now on
  • One general update entry per day, added on the first build after 4pm.
  • Entries will stay pilot-facing and concise.
  • Small behind-the-scenes fixes will only be listed when they affect real use.