About Hot Air Balloons
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CCBF 2008
Featured Balloon
Beagle Maximus
80’ Tall ..110’ Tail to Nose
Hot air ballooning is the world’s oldest form of aviation and air travel. In 1783, the Montgolfier brothers of Annonay, France, made the first successful balloon flight in a balloon filled with smoke from a straw-fed fire. Today, 223 years later, ballooning has become a recreational and competitive sport.
Why do flights
take place only in the morning and the late afternoon?
Balloons
need stable winds to operate effectively and the hours just following sunrise
and approximately 2 hours before sunset are the best for finding these winds.
Since balloons move with the air, the weather is very important in deciding to
whether or not to fly. The pilot chooses a launch site to use the wind currents
to fly towards a suitable landing site.
How is the
balloon inflated?
When the
time comes to put the balloon up, the envelope is removed from the bag and laid
out in
a long line. The burners are attached to the uprights, and the basket is
attached to the cables on
the bottom of the envelope. An engine driven fan is used to inflate the envelope
with cold air.
When partially inflated, the air is heated by a burner and the envelope rises
above the basket.
With further heating, there is sufficient 'lift' for the balloon to fly.
What kind of
fuel is used for the burners?
To heat
the air, the burners are fueled by propane gas, much the same as you probably
use in your backyard barbecue grill. The burners do not run continuously; they
are only used intermittently to heat the air to maintain the required lift.
How tall are
balloons?
Depending
on the weight capacity, balloons may be as tall as 100 feet but the average
balloon is 70 feet.
How large are
hot air balloons?
Most
balloons are larger than your house. They hold from 19,000 to 211,000 cubic feet
of air and loom from 50 to 90 feet.
How far do
balloons fly?
Again...it depends on the wind speed. Hot Air Balloons travel with the wind and
an hour flight can carry it up to 15 miles, sometimes more, sometimes less. The
balloon also flies at different altitudes. Although the balloon is at the mercy
of the wind when it comes to direction, the vertical control of a balloon can be
very precise. It is not unusual for our pilots to be able to brush the bottom of
the basket across the tops of brush, or inches from the ground A leaf picked
from a treetop is a very worthwhile souvenir of the flight!
How high do
balloons fly?
Most
balloonists enjoy low level flight. The typical balloon flight would be anywhere
from tree level to about 3,000 feet above the ground.
How does the
chase crew know where they are?
Radios
are used to stay in contact with the chase crew as well as with Air Traffic
Control and other aircraft flying in the vicinity.
Who can fly a
balloon?
The
Federal Aviation Administration issues a Balloon Pilot Certificate to candidates
who pass an FAA written examination, obtain a prescribed number of hours in a
balloon, make a solo flight to altitude, pass a flight test, and submit a
medical statement.
How do you steer
a balloon?
The
balloon goes wherever the wind takes it. However, pilots can seek higher or
lower altitudes to find wind currents of various directions. We refer to it as
the truest form of sailing.
What are the
best conditions for flight in a balloon?
A balloon
flies better in cooler weather since the hot air gets a better "lift."
Balloonists usually fly just after dawn or before dusk, because there is less
wind at these times.
Is it cold in a
balloon?
At high
altitude, it is colder than at ground level, generally 3.5 degrees colder for
each 1,000 feet of altitude.
What kind of
cloth is the balloon made of?
The
colorful envelope is usually made of nylon or polyester, the same type of cloth
that parachutes are made of. It is very tightly woven and is coated with a
material that makes it very air tight. The nylon is only used to keep the hot
air in the balloon. The basket load is transferred by steel or Kevlar cables to
a series of vertical load tapes which carry the load. Balloons range in size
from about 54,000 cubic feet for a one- or two-person balloon to over 250,000
cubic feet for a balloon capable of carrying a pilot plus eight or ten
passengers.
The wicker basket has proven to be very strong for its weight and is flexible. The wicker is sometimes woven around a steel or aluminum frame, which helps to support the upright posts upon which the burner is mounted. The top rim of the basket and the uprights are usually padded and covered in suede or leather.