The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Models · Balloon Works · Balloons · data as of November 5, 2026

Balloon Works FIREFLY 8

183 on the U.S. register across 4 versions the FAA records separately. Built from 1983 to 2005; half of them date from 1996 or earlier. Colorado has the most (17). 28% are registered to companies, flight schools, clubs and other organisations; the rest to individuals, who are not named here at this time.

About the FIREFLY 8 from the FAA's model table

Type
Balloon · Balloons
Power
None
Common engines
None None (161), Ama/Expr Unknown Eng (9)
Seats
1
Built of
fabric and wicker
Maker on the register
Balloon Works
Registered
earliest certificate August 9, 1983; newest October 2, 2026

Versions as the FAA records them · click one to list only those aircraft

VersionRegisteredBuiltShare
FIREFLY 8B-151231992 to 200567.2%
FIREFLY 8B371983 to 199120.2%
FIREFLY 8181990 to 19999.8%
FIREFLY 8-2451976 to 19882.7%

When they were built by decade · 72 with no year on file

By decade built, as a table
aircraft
19701
198014
199086
200010

Registrations by year certificates issued since 2010, including changes of owner · 2026 is the year so far

Registrations by year, as a table
aircraft
20103
20112
20125
20134
20147
201511
20163
20179
20187
201912
20209
202112
20226
202313
202415
20252
20265

Registration status

By status, as a table
aircraftshare
Valid17897%
Renewal notice sent53%

Airworthiness certificate class

By airworthiness certificate, as a table
aircraftshare
Standard17093%
None on file105%
Experimental32%

Biggest operators companies, schools and clubs

Wicker Basket Balloon Center4Island Balloons INC4Sky Adventures INC3Blue Ridge Hot Air Balloons LLC3Kpalmair LLC2Aerostat Promotions LLC2Star Ballooning LLC1Smileys Dream Ballooning LLC1Skylifter LLC1Sky Adventures1Silver Lining Ballooning LLC1Reach for the Stars Hot Air Balloon Foundation1
Largest fleets, as a table
aircraft
Wicker Basket Balloon Center4
Island Balloons INC4
Sky Adventures INC3
Blue Ridge Hot Air Balloons LLC3
Kpalmair LLC2
Aerostat Promotions LLC2
Star Ballooning LLC1
Smileys Dream Ballooning LLC1
Skylifter LLC1
Sky Adventures1
Silver Lining Ballooning LLC1
Reach for the Stars Hot Air Balloon Foundation1

Fleet pages: Wicker Basket Balloon Center · Island Balloons INC · Sky Adventures INC · Blue Ridge Hot Air Balloons LLC · Sky Adventures

Accident history NTSB records · 26 cases since 1982, 1 fatal

2013-05-11CEN13CA278 · FIREFLY 8B-15 N3171L · accident near Anthony, KS · no injuries
2011-09-17CEN11CA654 · FIREFLY 8 N3181A · accident near Mingo, IA · serious injuries
2004-10-09DFW05CA002 · Firefly 8B-15 N2563W · accident near Piedmont, OK · no injuries
2001-09-02DEN01LA158 · Firefly 8B-15 N2575P · accident near Colo. Springs, CO · serious injuries
2001-06-23FTW01LA154 · Firefly 8B-15 N72524 · accident near Celina, TX · serious injuries
2000-08-06FTW00LA224 · FIREFLY 8 N9091R · accident near Tulsa, OK · serious injuries
1998-10-05DEN99LA023 · FIREFLY 8B-15 N3290G · accident near Albuquerque, NM · serious injuries
1998-03-27NYC98LA085 · FIREFLY 8B-15 N31226 · accident near Elk Garden, VA · serious injuries

The 8 most recent of 26 cases where the NTSB's make and model match this family's versions. Each aircraft's own page also shows its record. How this model compares with others, with the fleet taken into account: Accidents by model in Aviation Analytics.

Questions people ask answers refresh every morning

How many Balloon Works FIREFLY 8 aircraft are registered in the U.S.?

183 as of November 5, 2026, counting 4 versions the FAA records separately.

Which state has the most Balloon Works FIREFLY 8s?

Colorado, with 17.

Who owns the Balloon Works FIREFLY 8?

28% are registered to companies, flight schools, clubs and other organisations; the rest to individuals and co-owners, who are not named on this site at this time.

When were the Balloon Works FIREFLY 8s on the register built?

Between 1983 and 2005; half of them in 1996 or earlier.

How many Balloon Works FIREFLY 8 accidents has the NTSB recorded?

26 accidents and incidents since 1982, 1 of them fatal. A model flown more shows more; the accident analytics compare models per thousand registered.

What is the Balloon Works FIREFLY 8 made of?

A hot-air balloon: a coated nylon envelope, stainless-steel cables, and a wicker or aluminium basket under a propane burner. The FAA's type certificate data sheet is the authority for any one model.

What the FAA has certified, ordered and been told about the Balloon Works FIREFLY 8 the component layer

A hot-air balloon: a coated nylon envelope, stainless-steel cables, and a wicker or aluminium basket under a propane burner. The design is held under 1 type certificate (A14SO, held by JR Aerosports LTD.). The FAA has issued 3 airworthiness directives (orders that owners must comply with) that name this model, most of them about other and general. Operators and repair shops have filed 1 failure report with the FAA since 2010, 1 of them in the last ten years: about 0.5 a year for every 100 aircraft on the register; the system most often named is airframe structure. 19 approved modifications exist for it, the most by Electronics International.

FAA orders 3 airworthiness directives · newest first

2013-03-192013-03-10 · Hardware · other and general
1981-03-1181-05-03 · Fuel tank shut-off valve modification · engine
1976-04-3075-12-08 · Throttle or Trigger Valves · other and general

By system

Orders by system, as a table
ordersshare
Other and general267%
Engine133%

Failure reports 1 since 2010 · what operators and shops told the FAA

00011110
Failure reports by year, as a table
reports
101

By system

Failure reports by system, as a table
reportsshare
Airframe structure1100%

Parts most often reported as the reports name them

Parts most reported, as a table
reports
Hose1

Latest reports

2010-08-09Hose: leaking · airframe structure

Approved replacement parts 1 parts manufacturer approvals

Parts a company other than the maker may make for this design and sell as FAA-approved. The companies holding the most:

Most often: hot air (1).

Approved modifications 19 supplemental type certificates

Changes the FAA has approved for this design, from new avionics and engines to floats and parachutes. The companies holding the most:

Latest

2017-10-05SB09657RC · Installation of Aircraft Position Lights
2017-09-06SB04407AT · Installation of the DBI-III Omega
2010-09-16SB01506AT · Attachment of Firefly hot air balloon envelopes.
2006-08-22SB10564SC (2 OF 2) · Installation of Night Posision Lights.
2005-07-08SA00680SE (5 OF 6 · Installation of Electronics International model UBG-16 or UBG-16T bar graph engine analyzer.

Certificates and bulletins

A14SOType certificate held by JR Aerosports LTD. · 28 models listed · revised September 16, 2010

Safety bulletins 1 · advice, not orders

2011-07-13CE-11-44 · Fuel: Cylinder Strap Installation

Sources: the FAA's type certificate data sheets, airworthiness directives, supplemental type certificates, special conditions and special airworthiness information bulletins (Dynamic Regulatory System), and the FAA's service difficulty reports. A failure report is what an operator or repair station chose to file; the counts show reporting as much as reliability, and larger and commercial fleets report more. How the systems are grouped.

Connections how the FIREFLY 8 links to the rest of the register

Design
Where they are
Biggest operators
Record
Airworthiness

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/model/balloon-works/firefly-8.json.

Aircraft newest certificates first · 183

Tail no.Maker and modelOwner and baseCertificateRegisteredStatus
N32143 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
North Carolina
Standard 2026-10-02 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3282X Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Co-owned owner
Tennessee
Standard 2026-08-26 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N317W Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8
Silver Lining Ballooning LLC
Prairie Grove, Arkansas
Standard 2026-08-19 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N9069D Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8
Individual owner
Idaho
Standard 2026-06-19 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N2570W Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Indiana
Standard 2026-05-18 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N25828 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Colorado
Standard 2025-11-13 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N2584X Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Balloonstormers INC
Ashland, Missouri
Standard 2025-05-06 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3180S Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
California
Standard 2024-12-27 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3290D Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Virginia
Standard 2024-10-22 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7013U Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8
Individual owner
New York
Standard 2024-07-17 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3288G Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Oklahoma
Standard 2024-07-13 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N90825 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Individual owner
Arizona
Standard 2024-07-09 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N70687 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Firewalker Balloon Adventures LLC
Battle Creek, Michigan
Standard 2024-07-06 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N90794 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Individual owner
New Mexico
Standard 2024-06-25 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7236G Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New Mexico
Standard 2024-06-13 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3287V Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Co-owned owner
California
Standard 2024-05-20 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3176Q Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Nevada
Standard 2024-05-03 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3287B Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Alabama
Standard 2024-05-01 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N2588U Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Sky Adventures INC
Oxford, Michigan
Standard 2024-04-08 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3213H Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
North Carolina
Standard 2024-04-03 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7416Y Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Co-owned owner
Indiana
Standard 2024-03-30 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N2203Q Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Alabama
Standard 2024-01-17 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7103R Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
High Country Aviation Workshop for Kids
Loma, Colorado
Standard 2023-12-15 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7108T Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Individual owner
Nevada
Standard 2023-12-04 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N9091Z Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Mississippi
Experimental 2023-11-29 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N25682 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New Mexico
Standard 2023-11-23 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7234T Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Island Balloons INC
Lanexa, Virginia
Standard 2023-07-11 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3290G Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Island Balloons INC
Lanexa, Virginia
Standard 2023-07-04 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N30922 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8
Co-owned owner
Idaho
Standard 2023-06-14 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N90809 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Kpalmair LLC
Reno, Nevada
Standard 2023-06-06 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N90719 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8
Individual owner
Nevada
Standard 2023-05-21 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7108C Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Co-owned owner
Nevada
Standard 2023-05-17 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N70568 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Colorado
Standard 2023-05-06 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3291P Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New Mexico
Standard 2023-04-26 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N72277 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8
Individual owner
Wyoming
Standard 2023-01-27 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N32858 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New Mexico
Standard 2022-11-08 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3289B Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Kpalmair LLC
Reno, Nevada
Standard 2022-11-08 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N31544 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Indiana
Standard 2022-09-10 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N9039A Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Individual owner
North Carolina
Standard 2022-08-24 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N25713 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Maverick Balloons LLC
Commerce Township, Michigan
Standard 2022-06-10 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3287S Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Minnesota
Standard 2022-01-07 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7067F Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Co-owned owner
New Mexico
Standard 2021-12-02 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7076D Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New Mexico
Standard 2021-10-18 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N2597G Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Missouri
None on file 2021-10-07 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N31009 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New Jersey
Standard 2021-08-21 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N2575P Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Colorado
Standard 2021-07-15 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7062B Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Virginia
Standard 2021-06-03 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7041L Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Aerostat Promotions LLC
East Granby, Connecticut
Standard 2021-05-11 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N2563Q Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Aerostat Promotions LLC
East Granby, Connecticut
Standard 2021-04-30 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3282G Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Utah
Standard 2021-04-10 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N87ND Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Individual owner
Nebraska
Standard 2021-04-08 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N70396 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Arizona
Standard 2021-02-19 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7061B Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New York
Standard 2021-01-26 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N90BR Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Individual owner
Arizona
Standard 2020-12-01 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N25619 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New York
Standard 2020-11-30 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3287N Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Utah
Standard 2020-10-13 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N2580F Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Colorado
Standard 2020-09-21 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7067H Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Virginia
Standard 2020-08-25 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N71192 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Individual owner
South Carolina
Standard 2020-08-18 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N72069 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Co-owned owner
Utah
Standard 2020-08-17 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7053Z Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8
Star Ballooning LLC
Bridgewater, Virginia
Standard 2020-02-26 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N97UB Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New Hampshire
Standard 2020-01-16 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3081K Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New York
Standard 2019-12-18 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N25510 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New Jersey
Standard 2019-11-22 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N72503 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Island Balloons INC
Lanexa, Virginia
Standard 2019-10-21 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3087X Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Illinois
Standard 2019-09-30 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N10WL Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Blue Ridge Hot Air Balloons LLC
Front Royal, Virginia
Standard 2019-09-11 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N32867 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New Mexico
Standard 2019-08-30 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N31910 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
North Carolina
Standard 2019-08-14 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7252V Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Co-owned owner
New Mexico
Standard 2019-06-04 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N2563H Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Aeronautical Solutions LLC
Taos, New Mexico
Standard 2019-05-01 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N614BD Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Co-owned owner
California
Standard 2019-03-30 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3282P Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Tennessee
Standard 2019-03-14 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N25048 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Virginia
Standard 2019-02-27 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3213T Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Delmarva Balloon Rides LLC
Chester, Maryland
Standard 2018-10-03 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7105Y Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Smileys Dream Ballooning LLC
Santaquin, Utah
Standard 2018-06-07 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N25902 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8
Blue Ridge Hot Air Balloons LLC
Front Royal, Virginia
Standard 2018-04-16 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N70724 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8
Blue Ridge Hot Air Balloons LLC
Front Royal, Virginia
None on file 2018-04-16 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3286G Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Florida
Standard 2018-03-07 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3286D Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Majestic Adventures LLC
South Lyon, Michigan
Standard 2018-02-20 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N2579Z Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Louisiana
Standard 2018-01-03 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7006U Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New York
Standard 2017-12-11 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3126F Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Oregon
Standard 2017-07-18 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N7420S Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Co-owned owner
Colorado
Standard 2017-05-19 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N25250 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
New Jersey
Standard 2017-04-24 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N2568L Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Co-owned owner
Florida
Standard 2017-04-20 Renewal notice sentFAA registration status code 25: First notice for registration renewal. All codes
N9091R Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8
Individual owner
Illinois
Standard 2017-04-20 Renewal notice sentFAA registration status code 25: First notice for registration renewal. All codes
N71104 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Co-owned owner
California
Standard 2017-03-23 Renewal notice sentFAA registration status code 25: First notice for registration renewal. All codes
N31800 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Cameron the Pilot LLC
Casper, Wyoming
Standard 2017-02-09 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N9074Z Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Colorado
Standard 2017-02-07 Renewal notice sentFAA registration status code 25: First notice for registration renewal. All codes
N25529 Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Co-owned owner
Colorado
Standard 2016-10-11 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N2597Y Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Arizona
Standard 2016-05-27 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3198T Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
North Carolina
Standard 2016-02-17 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N1525G Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Wyoming
Standard 2015-09-29 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N9024R Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Reach for the Stars Hot Air Balloon Foundation
Winchester, California
Standard 2015-09-28 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N9070D Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8
Skylifter LLC
Naples, Florida
Standard 2015-09-14 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N87UB Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Individual owner
New Hampshire
Standard 2015-07-31 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N3171L Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B-15
Individual owner
Kansas
Standard 2015-07-30 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N9043Z Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8B
Individual owner
Tennessee
Standard 2015-07-24 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes
N9074M Balloon Works
FIREFLY 8
De Koevend Enterprises
Fort Garland, Colorado
None on file 2015-07-16 ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes