Kubicek Balloons (in

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus' Places * Czech, ...

''Balóny Kubíček'' (pronounced ''Koo-bee-check''), the complete official name ''BALÓNY KUBÍČEK spol. s r.o.'') is a

manufacturer of

hot-air balloon A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, a capsule), which carries p ...

s and

airship An airship or dirigible balloon is a type of aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft that can navigate through the air under its own power. Aerostats gain their lift from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air. In early ...

s, the sole such manufacturer in Central and Eastern Europe and one of the largest in the world. From its factory in Brno the company ships its products worldwide.

History

BALÓNY KUBÍČEK was founded in 1989 by Aleš Kubíček, the designer of first modern Czech

, made in 1983 in ''Aviatik club'' in Brno. Before founding his own company Aleš Kubíček made several balloons under wings of the company Aerotechnik Kunovice. Immediately after the

Velvet Revolution The Velvet Revolution ( cs, Sametová revoluce) or Gentle Revolution ( sk, Nežná revolúcia) was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 28 November 1989. Popular demonstrations agains ...

he started his own private company to manufacture lighter-than-air aircraft.

Today

Kubicek Balloons is a

limited company In a limited company, the liability of members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. In a company limited by shares, the lia ...

, mostly owned by the founder Aleš Kubíček. Its headquarters is on Francouzská 81 in Brno city centre, where balloons were originally made. But in 2005 their production moved to a completely new factory facility in Jarní 2a in Brno- Maloměřice, currently the most modern balloon factory in the World. The company has 30 employees (in 2008) and produces circa 90 balloons per year, making it the world's 3rd largest manufacturer of hot air balloons. As well as producing standard balloon envelopes in 47 types and sizes they also build baskets, burners and a plenty of man carrying specially shaped balloons for advertising purposes e.g. 38-metre tall flying bear, sea container DHL,

Abbey of Saint Gall The Abbey of Saint Gall (german: Abtei St. Gallen) is a dissolved abbey (747–1805) in a Catholic religious complex in the city of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The Carolingian-era monastery existed from 719, founded by Saint Othmar on the spot ...

and the green heart of Styria. Kubicek Balloons holds quality certificates for design, production and maintenance meeting European standards of

EASA The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) with responsibility for civil aviation safety. It carries out certification, regulation and standardisation and also performs investigation and monitori ...

and was it amongst the first hot-air balloon manufacturers to hold a European type certificate for hot-air balloons. Kubicek balloons is the only European producer who uses the unique high-tenacity polyester balloon fabric for envelopes, and it is all manufactured 'in house' by its sister-company Textil Kubíček in Černá Hora near Brno. * forecast

Large inflatable structures

The company has also produced large inflatables for a variety of purposes under the name ''Kubicek Visionair'' for artists, companies and organisations around the world, including inflatable Moons and large inflatable structures for events and other applications.Kubicek Balloons UK
Leonardslee illuminated 2021 Moon inflatable built by Kubicek
UK Kubicek website article dated 23/12/2021

Fixed-wing aircraft

The company also produces the Kubicek M-2 Scout

ultralight Ultralight aviation (called microlight aviation in some countries) is the flying of lightweight, 1- or 2-seat fixed-wing aircraft. Some countries differentiate between weight-shift control and conventional three-axis control aircraft with aile ...

and light-sport aircraft, under the name ''Kubicek Aircraft''.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al.: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 62. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X

References

External links

* {{Official website, https://www.kubicekballoons.eu
Official inflatable website
Aircraft manufacturers of the Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia Balloon manufacturers Companies based in Brno Manufacturing companies established in 1989 Czech brands 1989 establishments in Czechoslovakia