How Does A Hot Air Balloon Work?
Balloons are aircraft, regulated under the same Federal
Aviation Regulations as every other category. Balloons
are aerostats (static within the air) - once a balloon
is aloft, it moves in sync with the air mass in which
it floats. The modern hot air balloon is made up of
three main parts: the envelope, the basket, and the
burner.
The envelope is the colorful “balloon” part
and is sewn into many patterns - geometric designs and
custom shapes. It is made from heat resistant, rip-stop
nylon. It is coated internally with a plastic which
helps contain heat. The envelope is folded, rolled,
and stored in a canvas-like bag kept in a cool, dry
place to avoid mildew and is continuously checked for
any heat damage or tears. If well maintained, a balloon
envelope should last 500 or more flying hours.
The wicker basket (sometimes called the “gondola”)
is woven with a tight, vertical weave, well suited to
resisting entanglement in branches or powerlines. A
finishing urethane coating inside and out ensures the
wicker will resist becoming brittle or rotten from exposure
to moisture. This maintains the wicker's ability to
flex, absorbing and distributing any bumps during landings.
The basket contains the propane tanks and an instrument
panel - usually a compass, altimeter, rate of climb
indicator, fuel quantity gauge and pyrometer (envelope
temperature indicator).
The
heart of the balloon is the burner, usually rigged on
a rigid brace over the pilot’s head and controlled
by means of a hand valve. Hot air balloons use plain
old air as the lifting gas. By heating the air inside
the balloon (with blasts from the burner), the pilot
makes that air less dense (lighter) than the outside
air, and the balloon rises. As the internal air cools,
the balloon becomes heavier, and descends.
Article
taken from www.balloonzone.com
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