Aerophile SA
Encyclopedia
Aerophile SA is a French company specializing in tethered helium balloon
s, which offer a safe aerial experience from a fixed location.
Aerophile was founded in 1993 by two 25-year-old engineers from 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 (984.3 ft). In 1999, the company launched the large Paris Balloon
and improved it in 2008 by providing the level of air quality to the citizens of Paris, thanks to a lighting system. In 2000, the company created a mobile tethered balloon approved to carry two people to a height of 90 metres (295.3 ft). 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 (177.2 ft) tower. Aerophare is a truly novel adaptation of a hot air balloon appearing device in an enclosed tower.
The company is competitive abroad with more than 50 balloons sold in 25 countries.
The company currently runs four Aero30NG (Paris Balloon
, one at Disneyland Paris, another one in Walt Disney World Resort
, the last one in Irvine) and two Aerophares in the outskirts of Paris.
Tethered helium balloon
A tethered helium balloon is a helium-filled gas balloon which is tethered to the ground, or to a road vehicle, by a steel rope and raised and lowered by a winch.- Tethered or Static Helium Balloon:...
s, which offer a safe aerial experience from a fixed location.
History
Aerophile was founded in 1993 by two 25-year-old engineers from École Polytechnique
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
, Mathieu Gobbi and Jerome Giacomoni. In 1994, they installed their first large tethered balloon in Chantilly, France)
Chantilly, Oise
Chantilly is a small city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune in the department of Oise.It is in the metropolitan area of Paris 38.4 km...
and in 1998, Aerophile celebrated its first flight to an altitude of 300 metres (984.3 ft). In 1999, the company launched the large Paris Balloon
Paris balloon
The Paris Balloon is a tethered helium balloon used as a tourist attraction in the heart of Paris, the French capital. Installed since 1999 in the André Citroën park, it was made and developed by Aerophile SA...
and improved it in 2008 by providing the level of air quality to the citizens of Paris, thanks to a lighting system. In 2000, the company created a mobile tethered balloon approved to carry two people to a height of 90 metres (295.3 ft). 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 (177.2 ft) tower. Aerophare is a truly novel adaptation of a hot air balloon appearing device in an enclosed tower.
The company is competitive abroad with more than 50 balloons sold in 25 countries.
The company currently runs four Aero30NG (Paris Balloon
Paris balloon
The Paris Balloon is a tethered helium balloon used as a tourist attraction in the heart of Paris, the French capital. Installed since 1999 in the André Citroën park, it was made and developed by Aerophile SA...
, one at Disneyland Paris, another one in Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
, the last one in Irvine) and two Aerophares in the outskirts of Paris.
The balloons
- Aero30NG, a tethered helium balloon of 22.46 metres (73.7 ft). It can take 30 people up to 300 metres (984.3 ft) of altitude. The winch provides a climbing speed of 0.83 metres per second (2.7 ft/s) and the patented platform optimizes landings. Aerophile has set up this balloon at the Disney VillageDisney VillageDisney Village is a shopping, dining and entertainment complex in Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, France. Originally named Festival Disney, it opened April 12, 1992 with what was then the Euro Disney Resort and originally covered an area of approximately 18,000 m².Based on Walt Disney World's...
at Disneyland Paris, Downtown DisneyDowntown Disney (California)Downtown Disney is an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment area, also known as a "shoppertainment center", located at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, United States...
at Walt Disney World ResortWalt Disney World ResortWalt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
in Florida]] and Ocean Park Hong KongOcean Park Hong KongOcean Park Hong Kong , commonly known as Ocean Park, is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, animal theme park and amusement park, situated in Wong Chuk Hang and Nam Long Shan in the Southern District of Hong Kong. Founded in 1977 by the then Governor of Hong Kong Sir Murray MacLehose, Ocean Park has...
. It was adapted for military skydiving training. - Aero2: a tethered helium balloon 9 metres (29.5 ft), takes two people up to 90 metres (295.3 ft). It can be seen for 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) and was used for advertising during the French Danao turn in 2002 and by FortisFortis (finance)Fortis N.V./S.A. was a company active in insurance, banking and investment management. In 2007 it was the 20th largest business in the world by revenue but after encountering severe problems in the financial crisis of 2008, most of the company was sold in parts, with only insurance activities...
too. - Aerophare, a tethered balloon inserted in a 54 metres (177.2 ft) helical tower. 144 people per hour can rise into the air thanks to the balloon for over five minutes. It is used for advertising in malls like Evry 2 or Parinor.
In brief
- Aerophile went towards elaborating the giants of the inauguration of the Football World Cup in France, in 1998.
- 1.5 million passengers have flown in Aerophile balloons.