Ultramagic
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hot air balloon manufacturing |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | Josep Maria Lladó, Joan Comellas, Jaume Llansana, Carles Lladó |
| Headquarters | Igualada , Spain |
Area served | Worldwide (Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Japan) |
Key people | Josep Maria Lladó (co-founder) |
| Products | Hot air balloons, cold air inflatables |
| Website | www |
Ultramagic (Catalan: [ˌultɾəˈmaʒik], Spanish: [ˈultɾaˈmaʝik]) is a hot air balloon manufacturer headquartered at the Igualada-Òdena Aerodrome in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia. It stands as Spain’s sole producer of hot air balloons and ranks as the world’s second largest manufacturer.[1][2] Annually, Ultramagic manufactures between 80 and 120 balloons, exporting approximately 80% of these to markets including Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Japan. The company is capable of producing large-scale balloons such as the N-500 model, which can carry up to 27 passengers. Additionally, Ultramagic has developed numerous balloons featuring unique shapes and has also produced cold air inflatables.
Ultramagic plays a key role in organizing the European Balloon Festival, which is the largest hot air balloon event in both Spain and Southern Europe. Held annually in Igualada since 1997 during July, the festival features competitions, displays, and a popular night glow. It attracts about 60 balloon pilots from across Europe as well as from countries such as Israel, India, Japan, Brazil, and Argentina.
History
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The origins of Ultramagic date back to 1978 when three friends—Josep Maria Lladó, an aeronautical engineer and balloonist, alongside Joan Comellas and Jaume Llansana,[3] began flying using a second-hand hot air balloon. Soon after, they decided to construct a larger balloon named "Tramuntana",[4] to undertake an extensive journey across Africa due to financial constraints preventing them from purchasing a factory-made balloon.[5] This expedition occurred in 1980 and lasted eleven months, comprising 40 flights starting from Zanzibar through regions including Tanzania, Ruanda, and parts of Zaire, concluding in Kisangani, now part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Following this adventure, they began designing an ultralight aircraft and founded Ultramagic SA with Carles Lladó, Josep Maria’s brother. The initial focus on ultralight aircraft shifted toward balloons because developing the ultralight prototype proved complicated, costly due to imported components, and demanded mass production for viability.[5] Moreover, their prior experience with balloon manufacturing and access to sewing equipment combined with aeronautical expertise supported this transition.[6]
In 1993, Ultramagic expanded by establishing a cold air inflatables division that has produced approximately 4,000 units to date. The annual output for inflatables averages around 500 units.[6]
In 2006, Ultramagic delivered a large N-355 balloon to Virgin Balloon Flights, recognized as the UK’s leading passenger balloon company. This balloon could hold 355,000 cu ft (10,100 m3) of air volume and transport up to 16 passengers within its basket.[7]
The year 2009 marked the inaugural official flight of the "Ecomagic", an environmentally friendly hot air balloon designed collaboratively with the School of Aeronautic Engineering at Technische Universität Berlin. This model incorporates a double-layered textile fabric that enhances thermal insulation of hot air inside the envelope, thereby reducing fuel consumption and enabling extended flight durations. The Ecomagic uses less than half the fuel compared to conventional balloons and can achieve reductions up to 70%.[8]
In 2013, Ultramagic introduced the Flightpack application—a tablet-based tool that consolidates all essential flight data for hot air balloon pilots into one accessible platform.[9]
Customer categories
Ultramagic's hot air balloons cater to three primary customer segments:[5]
- Private individuals who engage in competitions or attend festivals.
- Commercial operators who conduct professional flights, frequently supported by sponsorship.
- Tourism businesses that offer passenger flights in destinations like Turkey, California, Egypt, and Namibia.
Model gallery
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Ultramagic M-77 (2,200 m³ capacity, accommodating 3 to 4 passengers) -
Ultramagic M-105 (3,000 m³, designed for 5 passengers), registered in the United States -
Ultramagic M-120 (3,400 m³ volume, seating 5 or 6 individuals) -
Ultramagic M-130 (3,680 m³, capacity for 6 passengers), registered in Switzerland -
Ultramagic N-180 (5,100 m³, carrying up to 9 passengers) -
Ultramagic N-210 (6,000 m³, for 11 passengers) -
Ultramagic N-210 (6,000 m³ volume, seating 11 passengers) -
Ultramagic N-355 (10,000 m³ capacity, accommodating 20 passengers)
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See also
References
- ↑ Sky’s the Limit Ballooning Adventures, Southern California, PILOTS AND CREW Archived 2010-05-15 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ El Periodico, Once meses en globo (in Spanish)
- ↑ África en globo. Persiguiendo a Julio Verne (in Catalan)
- ↑ Infonomia, Ultramagic, por Ramon Bori (19/11/2003) Archived 2006-10-17 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Avui, Entrevista amb Josep M. Lladó, Enginyer aeronàutic, copropietari de Globus Ultramàgic Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine (in Catalan)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "History: More than 30 years experience in Balloons". Archived from the original on 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2010-04-01.
- ↑ Virgin Balloon Flights, Virgin Inflates fleet with Monster New Balloon Archived 2010-03-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ Avui, Ultramagic dissenya un globus aerostàtic sostenible que consumeix la meitat d'energia (in Catalan)
- ↑ "09/12/2013: Introducing Ultramagic FlightPack". Archived from the original on 2014-08-21. Retrieved 2014-08-19.
External links
