Aerophile
| Public limited company | |
| Industry | Development and operation of tethered helium balloons |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founders |
Jérôme Giacomoni Matthieu Gobbi |
| Headquarters | Paris, France |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Tethered helium balloons |
| Website | http://www.aerophile.com/ |
Aerophile SAS is a French company specialized in building and operating tethered helium balloons. Formed in 1993 the tethered gas balloons operate as tourist attractions around the world. The company has sold more than 60 balloons in 30 countries.
History
Aerophile was founded in 1993 by two 25-year-old French engineers from the École Polytechnique, Mathieu Gobbi and Jerome Giacomoni. In 1994, they installed their first large tethered balloon in Chantilly, France) and in 1998, Aerophile celebrated its first flight to an altitude of 300 metres (980 ft). In 1999, the company launched the large Paris Balloon and improved it in 2008 by adding a lighting system.
In 2000, the company created a mobile tethered balloon approved to carry two people to a height of 90 metres (300 ft): the Aero2.
In 2002 they operated the first modern tethered gas ballon on a water-based platform at Neuchâtel.
In 2005 the company installed a large PanoraMagique balloon, operated by a subsidiary Aerotourism, at Disneyland Paris, it was the first 8-point Aero30NG balloon.
In 2007, they set up and opened the first Aerophare in Evry 2 (France), an attraction with an air-filled captive balloon within a 54 metres (177 ft) tower. Aerophare is a novel adaptation of a tethered balloon operating in an enclosed tower.
An Aerophile ballon holds the record for carrying 30 passengers in a gas balloon.
The company currently runs six Aero30NG : Paris Balloon, one at Disneyland Paris, one in Walt Disney World Resort, one in Orange County Great Park, one in Wonderworks Pigeon Forge and the last one in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and one Aerobar, the latest creation, at Futuroscope.
Subsidiaries
The Aerogroupe company has several subsidiaries :
- Aerophile SA, the principal subsidiary (Balloon's manufacture and sale).
- Aeroparis to operate the Paris Balloon
- Aeromobile to operate the ballon at Irvine
- Aerotourism to operate the balloon at Disneyland Paris
- Aerophile Orlando to operate the ballon at Walt Disney World Resort
Balloons
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- The Aero30NG
- This tethered balloon 22,5 meters in diameter can receive up to 30 people at a time in its nacelle and can rise up to 300 metres (980 ft). Its winch system ensures a climb speed of 0.8 m / s and its patented platform optimizes landings.
This balloon has been installed over the 5 continents : France :Château de Cheverny, Château de Chantilly, Bordeaux, Beaune, Parc de Samara, Paris Balloon and Disneyland Paris, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Canada, USA, Tunisia, Turkey, Irak, Lebanon, Dubai, Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Cambodia (Angkor Wat), Thailand, Singapore and Australia. Ocean Park Hong Kong, Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, . This model has also been adapted to allow parachute jumps as part of military training in Yemen.
- The Aero2
- This is a charged helium balloon of 9 meters in diameter which offers a view to two passengers to around 90m above ground. The moored balloon can be seen at 10 kilomètres around. This balloon has been used as a marketing tool for Danao Tour in 2002 but also by Fortis and throughout France.
- The Aerophare
- The Aerophare is a balloon operating within a 54 metres (177 ft) tower structure. The structure allows it to operate worse weather than a conventional tethered balloon.
The Aerobar
- The first aerial bar of the world. This new concept allows 15 persons to rise up to 120 feet in the sky while enjoying their favorite drink. Visitors are experiencing a triple emotion: the chills of seeing the ground away from their feet, great view while discovering the scenery and the canopy of heaven meeting the earth on 360° and the conviviality with the other passengers that share a drink aboard this aerial bar. The first Aerobar is installed in Futuroscope, second largest theme park in France.
The Little Prince Park:
- The first aerial park in the world is about to open this summer in Alsace. The Little Prince Park invites its visitors to a very poetic journey on the planet of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's hero with 23 hectares, 30 attractions, 3 movie theaters from 60 to 500 seats, 2 tethered balloons, 1 Aerobar, flying chairs, 2 giant labyrinths…and plenty of animals.