• How to become a hot-air balloon pilot

    How to become a hot-air balloon pilot

    Theoretical and practical course for the achievement of the licence

  • Learn to fly in a balloon

    Learn to fly in a balloon

    Cameron Balloons flight school in Mondovì, Italy is open all the year

  • Educational Courses

    Educational Courses

    For competitions with racing simulations

  • How to become a hot-air balloon pilot
  • Learn to fly in a balloon
  • Educational Courses

Flight Courses

Leading to the PPL licence

An English or Italian Licence

An English or Italian Licence

John Aimo Balloons offers the opportunity to obtain a licence as a hot-air balloon pilot either in accordance with the English rules of the BBAC/CAA or according to the Italian norms of the EASA.

Milano Mongolfiere:  Italian Flight School

Milano Mongolfiere: Italian Flight School

For those without a knowledge of the English language, flight school in Italian is held in collaboration with the society Milano Mongolfiere for which John Aimo is an instructor and examiner.
BBAC:  English Flight School

BBAC: English Flight School

For those with competence in English, courses follow the rules of the BBAC. For those wishing to obtain a professional licence, the English CPL is also recommended as this is recognized world-wide outside the EASA area. Many pilots who have been on our BBAC/CAA courses and then obtained the CPL are today professional pilots in various parts of the world, having set up companies for the public transport of passengers.
Flight Practice and Theory

Flight Practice and Theory

The practical course with just one pupil on board requires:
• A minimum of 16 hours flying with an instructor.
• An exam flight with an English examiner.
• Passing 5 theory exams: Navigation, Aviation Law, Meteorology, Human Performance, and Airmanship/Balloon Systems, which deals with the technicalities of balloons and ballooning. These exams are in a quiz, multiple choice form.
Course Location

Course Location

Courses take place in Mondovì (CN) at the Balloon Port: porto aerostatico, corso Francia 18, where the Aero Club Mongolfiere di Mondovì is situated.
It is well equipped with a large hall for briefings, a hangar, a field for take-off and a bar/restaurant. Flights take place early morning and late afternoon with take-off in various parts of the county depending on the direction of the wind.
Length of Courses

Length of Courses

While experiencing a variety of climatic conditions is always ideal when learning to fly, it is possible, however, for any student pilot coming from afar to complete training in the Mondovì area in 7 to 10 days. This means getting in the flight hours, studying the theory, taking the exams and doing the solo flight.
Compulsory Medical

Compulsory Medical

For an Italian licence, a second class medical is required from either an institute of the Military Air Force (Medicina Legale dell’ Aeronautica Militare ) or from an EASA-approved AME doctor. For an English licence, a declaration from the student’s own family doctor on the requisite CAA form is sufficient.
Aeronord Aerostati

Aeronord Aerostati

La John Aimo Balloons organizes flights with Aeronord Aerostati Company gas balloons of Milan.

Course fees

  • School Fees

    – Enrolment: 350 Euro – 2 log books included
    – Each hour of flight with the instructor: 350 Euro
    – Each theory exam with an English examiner: 30 Pounds Sterling
    – Practical flight exam: 200 Pounds Sterling.
  • Shared Costs

    If the examiner is already present at the exam location to examine other students, it is possible to share the examiner’s expenses, such as the cost of board and lodging and travel to and from Mondovì. (A return air ticket and hotel stay comes to around 500 Pounds Sterling.)
  • The Examiners

    The theory exams can be taken anywhere with any examiners. The practical exams can be taken only at Mondovì with examiners used to flying in the area.
  • Agreement with Cameron Balloons Italia

    For students wishing to buy their own balloon, John Aimo Balloons, representative of Cameron Balloons in Italy, offers very favourable terms.
  • CPL

    For students wishing to go on to gain the CPL commercial licence, special packages of hours and prices are available.
  • Advanced Courses

    For those who have already obtained a licence but wish to fly with instructor John Aimo to perfect skills or train for competitions the cost per hour is:
    – 250€ in a 77,
    – 280€ in a 90/105,
    – 310€ in a 120.
    Additional passengers friends of the pilot pay 120 Euro per flight.

For more information about the courses

Our students

Pilots for passion or profession.

  • Abdul Aziz Al Mansory

    Abdul Aziz Al Mansory

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Alex Bellini

    Alex Bellini

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Armands Kakss

    Armands Kakss

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Brian Catchpoole

    Brian Catchpoole

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Brian Smith Junior

    Brian Smith Junior

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Chris Ford

    Chris Ford

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Colin Brown

    Colin Brown

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Cornelia Oosthuizen

    Cornelia Oosthuizen

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Dino Perona

    Dino Perona

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Edward Sage

    Edward Sage

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Edwin Lyanga

    Edwin Lyanga

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Elizabeth Lombardo

    Elizabeth Lombardo

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Emanuele Cannoletta

    Emanuele Cannoletta

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Eris Nguruga

    Eris Nguruga

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Fedor Koniukhov

    Fedor Koniukhov

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Fennell

    Fennell

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Jamie Hull

    Jamie Hull

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • John Power

    John Power

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Jon Parker

    Jon Parker

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Ken Jones e Keith Thomas

    Ken Jones e Keith Thomas

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Mark Clarke

    Mark Clarke

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Massimo Arno

    Massimo Arno

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Meic Sullivan Gould

    Meic Sullivan Gould

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Miriam De Vrijes e Phil Dunnington

    Miriam De Vrijes e Phil Dunnington

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Neilson Logue

    Neilson Logue

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Oleg e Sergiy, Ukraina

    Oleg e Sergiy, Ukraina

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Oscar Lombardo

    Oscar Lombardo

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Paolo Arizzi e Paolo Boetti

    Paolo Arizzi e Paolo Boetti

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Paolo Oggioni e Pino Copparoni

    Paolo Oggioni e Pino Copparoni

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Russell Collins

    Russell Collins

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Salvatore Forgione e Giuseppe Forgione

    Salvatore Forgione e Giuseppe Forgione

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Steve Davis

    Steve Davis

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Steve Fossett

    Steve Fossett

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Steven Edwards

    Steven Edwards

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Tim Ellison

    Tim Ellison

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Vladimir Borisov

    Vladimir Borisov

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Durgam Pradeep

    Durgam Pradeep

    Allievo John Aimo Balloons

  • Abdul Aziz Al Mansory
  • Alex Bellini
  • Armands Kakss
  • Brian Catchpoole
  • Brian Smith Junior
  • Chris Ford
  • Colin Brown
  • Cornelia Oosthuizen
  • Dino Perona
  • Edward Sage
  • Edwin Lyanga
  • Elizabeth Lombardo
  • Emanuele Cannoletta
  • Eris Nguruga
  • Fedor Koniukhov
  • Fennell
  • Jamie Hull
  • John Power
  • Jon Parker
  • Ken Jones e Keith Thomas
  • Mark Clarke
  • Massimo Arno
  • Meic Sullivan Gould
  • Miriam De Vrijes e Phil Dunnington
  • Neilson Logue
  • Oleg e Sergiy, Ukraina
  • Oscar Lombardo
  • Paolo Arizzi e Paolo Boetti
  • Paolo Oggioni e Pino Copparoni
  • Russell Collins
  • Salvatore Forgione e Giuseppe Forgione
  • Steve Davis
  • Steve Fossett
  • Steven Edwards
  • Tim Ellison
  • Vladimir Borisov
  • Durgam Pradeep

For information

Phone +39 0174 47192
Fax +39 0174 551524
Mail john@mongolfiera.com

About us

The John Aimo Balloons s.a.s. was founded in 1986 by John Aimo, one of the architects of the modern rediscovery, in Italy, of the oldest human instrument to fly …
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