Being from the California wine country, balloon flights were a regular birthday treat for my children. Even though the gondola was chuck full, room was made for Mama. The pilots were regular Delta or American airline pilots, who piloted the ballons as a hobby.
Other than running low on fuel and an emergency splash into a unsuspecting coy pond, our 100 plus flights were fun and uneventful. With the burner off you can hear the cows low, birds chirp, and enjoy a spectacular view.
I miss ballon flights, as I now live in the Southern hardwood and pine forests with no place to launch or land a balloon.