Since I started ballooning many years ago, I have always wanted to have a "cloudhopper" style balloon. These small balloons, with the pilot strapped to the tank appealed to me greatly because of the freedom and the unrestricted views. I was also attracted to articles in various balloning magazines of the times showing pilots strapped to their balloons walking on water and sitting in tree tops. I remember seeing one picture of a cloudhopper being launched off the back of a boat and I thought "I gotta get one of these!"

Unfortunately they are hard to come by. They are also very expensive to buy new. Consequently there are not a whole lot of hoppers operating around the World, maybe only 20 or 30 of them actively flying. The cloud hopper also appeals to my unsocial side in that I can be greedy and enjoy the flying all by myself on my own without having to feel guilty because I am not taking anyone else. The hopper is strictly a one person aircraft.

Because of the restrictive cost, the natural alternative was to build one! This website is the base to show you how I went about it and to pop a couple of pictures up along the way. While I am still working on the hopper bottom end, I have been using a 240Lt rubbish bin to fly in instead. Hope you enjoy the site.

Adam

P.S - In case you're wondering.... WOFYL is short for Watch Out For Your Legs
or in the case of the bin.... Wheels On For Yeehah Landings