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What are Hot Air Balloons Made of?
Envelope Rip-stop nylon is the most common material. Polyester,  dacron and other fabrics are sometimes used. The lower portions around the opening are usually made from a fire resistant material like Nomex, similar to what race car drivers and firemen wear. It contains approximately 1,500 to 2,000 yards of fabric and more than three miles of thread.
Burner The burner is the powerplant of the system. It is fueled by liquid propane carried onboard the balloon and generates up to 20 million BTU's of hot air per hour.
Gondola ~ Basket Woven wicker is used because it is lightweight, flexible and easily repaired. It also looks nice! 
Fuel System Hot Air Balloons use propane. Gas balloons use helium, hydrogen or, recently ammonia. 


How long does it take to inflate and deflate the balloon?
Once the envelope has been laid-out and the cables attached to the basket, a portable (gasoline powered) fan pushes air into the envelope. When the envelope is almost filled with cold air, the propane burner is ignited and the air inside is heated enough for the balloon to rise to an upright position. With a small amount of additional heat the balloon will become buoyant. The inflation usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes. It takes about the same amount of time to deflate and pack up the balloon after the flight.


How do Hot Air Balloons work?
Hot air rises. The air inside the envelope is heated by the burner. If the air in the envelope is allowed to cool or if the hot air is 'vented' (allowed to escape) from the balloon, the balloon will descend.


How do you steer a Hot Air Balloon?
The pilot controls the balloon's altitude to find a wind going in the desired direction.

Burning raises the temperature in the balloon to ascend.
Venting releases hot air from the balloon to decend.

Once the pilot has found the desired wind direction, he/she will maintain that altitude by momentarily burning to keep the balloon's temperature constant.


How big are Hot Air Balloons?
Most recreational balloons range from 65,000 to 105,000 cubic feet. When fully inflated they vary from 60 to 90 feet high (almost 7 stories high) and 45 to 60 feet in diameter. This size balloon can carry 3 to 6 people.

A balloon uses about 1,800 square yards of nylon fabric, 3 miles of thread, and 1/2 mile of reinforcing nylon webbing.

The average size balloon carries 30 to 40 gallons of fuel and weighs anywhere from 400 to 700 pounds on the ground.
In the air, the complete system, including the air inside the envelope, has a mass of 2 to 4 tons.


How many people does it take to fly a Hot Air Balloon?
It only takes one Pilot to fly it, the Pilot needs 3-4 crew people to safely launch a balloon. Duties of the crew include launch preparation, following the balloon in the chase vehicle, obtaining permission from the landowner for landing, and retrieval of the balloon after the flight. Safety is the primary concern of both pilot and crew; followed closely by concern for the rights and protection of property owners on the ground.


What does the Balloon Chase Crew do?
The Balloon Chase Crew, sometimes called the un-sung heros of Hot Air Ballooning, works with the Pilot to make sure your flight is as enjoyable as possible. Click here to find out more.


When and How Long do Hot Air Balloons Fly?
Many variables in the weather influence a pilot's decision to fly. Most pilots agree that a breeze of 4 to 8 miles per hour is acceptable. The best times to fly are early morning (sunrise) and about two hours before sunset. The winds are usually calmest then. Ballooning is a fair weather sport that can be enjoyed year round. The length of a balloon flight is determined by many factors, including the outside temperature and the weight carried. On a cold day, with only one person flying, a longer flight is possible.


How High do Hot Air Balloons Fly?
Most balloonist's enjoy a flight from just above the tree tops to about 4,000 feet. The world record for a hot air balloon is about 65,000 feet.


Are all Hot Air Balloons alike?
All hot air balloons consist of a burner system, a basket and an envelope. The differences are in the shape and size of the envelope, the deflation system, the basket shape and design and the configuration, design, and number of burners.


Who can fly a Hot Air Balloon?
Anyone who earns a Balloon Pilot Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration can fly a balloon. To get the rating, one has to fly a minimum number of hours with an instructor, make a solo flight, and pass written, oral and flight tests.  In the United States, you must be at least 16 years old. There are two categories of license, Private and Commercial. You don't have to be able to fly an airplane since it is a completely different type of aircraft, although many balloon pilots also fly other types of aircraft like airplanes and helicopters.


Where do Hot Air Balloons Land?
A Hot Air Balloon travels with the wind; it is not possible to determine an exact landing site before the flight. A pilot's first concern is safety. A typical landing spot is clear of crops, livestock, small trees, power lines or other obstructions. Whenever possible, permission of the landowner is obtained before landing.


How do you get home again?
After the balloon is launched, the chase crew follows in a chase vehicle. Using maps, two-way radios, and visual contact, they try to be present when the balloon lands. The crew helps the pilot deflate and disassemble the balloon, and the balloon and all the people are driven back to the launch site in the chase vehicle.


Do you have to be rich to own a Hot Air Balloon?
Absolutely not! Hot Air Balloons are owned and flown by teachers, clerks, secretaries, engineers, farmers, construction workers, police and firemen, just to name a few. If you can afford a nice boat, a new car, or annual vacations, you can own a balloon. Or you may become a crew member for someone else who owns a balloon. Most crew members get to fly.


What are all of the ropes for?
The crown line on top of the balloon is used to stabilize the balloon during inflation. "Tether lines" are used to tie the balloon down for display purposes. A "drop line" is sometimes released by the pilot just before landing so the ground crew can pull the balloon to a desired location. A "Vent line" is used to release the Hot Air after landing.


Can Hot Air Balloons fly over Mountains?
Yes. However, there are some special problems: Mountain winds are sometimes very turbulent. The choice of landing areas is sometimes difficult because of the way the winds rush over the mountain tops. If you come down in an area where there are no roads it is difficult to get the balloon out. In February 1998, our pilot Scott Lorenz and chase crew attended a festival in St. Wolfgang Austria, and in 1996 flew over the Great Wall of China.

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