Hot Air balloon History

Hot air ballooning is our initial form of manned flight. How does it work? What enables a hot air balloon to keep flying?

You will find some basics principles in play here, namely, that hot air rises and cold air descends. So the hot air that is released in towards the balloon pushes it skywards and ensures it stays afloat.

You will discover three component parts to a , the envelope (which is the fabric which holds the air); the basket (which is wherever the pilot and passengers will stand) along with the burner (which propels the heat up in towards the balloon). The pilot has the ability to ascend, descend and move in a specific direction.

1. Ascending

To ascend, the pilot releases propane gas in on the envelope, and this fires the burner, sending a flame in on the envelope. The more gas that may be released, the greater the flame and also the quicker the balloon rises.

2. Descending

To descend, the pilot has to enable the air inside envelope to cool. He does this by pulling a cord which opens a valve at the top in the balloon. This really is called the Parachute Valve and opening it enables the warm air to escape, reducing the temperature on the air within the balloon. This cooler air is lighter than the balloon weight and hence the balloon descends. The descent may be controlled or reversed by releasing far more propane gas and firing the burner.

3. Directional movement

There are limitations in the direction a pilot can take a balloon as that is determined by the wind. However, the wind blows in several directions at several heights so a degree of maneuverability is achievable. So to move horizontally, the pilot will go up or down to find a layer of air wherever the wind is blowing in the desired direction.

4. Landing

In which the balloon lands is very dependent on the wind, but within the correct conditions, an experienced pilot can have considerable maneuverability. He are going to be in regular radio contact with his ground crew and they will agree a landing site during the course with the flight. After landing, the “chase” crew will pack away the balloon and everyone then generally returns on the original launch location.

Hot Air balloons typically land on private land and depend hugely on the goodwill of landowners. Most pilots will be aware of “no go” landing sites and will try to avoid these if at all doable.