Welcome to Hot Air Balloon Questions and Answers!

What are balloons made of?

The balloon bag or "envelope" is made of
reinforced nylon fabric. It is very light
(1.3 ounces per square yard) but
very strong (25 pounds per square inch).
The envelope is treated with a polyurethane
coating to make it more airtight and to help
the fabric withstand the ultraviolet rays of
the sun. The pilot and passengers ride in
a gondola (or basket) that is made of woven
wicker, which is both strong and flexible.
The gondola is connected to the envelope by
stainless steel suspension cables.

How do balloons work?

Hot air rises. The envelope traps a large
bubble of hot air. If the air in the envelope
is heated by a burner, the balloon will rise.
If the air in the envelope is allowed to
cool or if the hot air is "vented" (allowed
to escape) from the top or the side of
the envelope, the balloon will descend. An
altimeter (to measure altitude), a rate-of-climb
meter, and an envelope temperature
gauge are the only instruments used in the
balloon. Amazingly, the pilot can control the
altitude of the balloon within a matter of inches!

How big are balloons?

The most popular sport balloon is
approximately 55 feet wide (diameter)
and 70 feet high, which is about the same
as a 7-story building. It has 1,075 square
yards of nylon fabric in its envelope (or one-fifth
of an acre in surface area), more than 3 miles
of thread, and almost one-half mile of nylon
webbing (used for reinforcing). Its 77,550
cubic foot air capacity displaces almost 3 tons
of air and could hold 62,279 bushels of apples
or 579,340 gallons of water. These sport balloons
can carry 3 to 4 people.

How are balloons inflated?

The balloon envelope is spread on the
ground and the gondola laid on its side
and attached to the envelope cables. A portable
(gasoline powered) fan pushes cold air into
the envelope. When the envelope is about half
inflated with outside (ambient) air, a propane
burner is ignited until the air inside is heated
enough for the balloon to rise to an upright
position. With a small amount of additional
heat, the balloon becomes buoyant. Typically,
the inflation takes about 20 minutes.

How many people does it take to fly a balloon?

The sport of ballooning is a wonderful group or
family activity. To safely launch and fly a balloon
requires a minimum crew of two people. Duties
of the crew typically include launch preparation,
following the balloon flight in the chase vehicle,
obtaining permission of the landowner for the balloon
landing and retrieval, keeping spectators out of the
landing area, and insuring that gates are left as they
are found and that property is not damaged.

How much do balloon systems weigh?

A typical balloon system - envelope, gondola,
fuel tanks, and 30 gallons of fuel - will weigh
about 500 pounds, deflated on the ground.
In the air, the complete system, including the
weight of the air inside the envelope, will
weigh about 2 ½ tons.

What kind of fuel do balloons use?

Common Liquid propane gas (LPG) is used to
heat hot air balloons. Some balloons carry 40 gallons
of propane in two 20-gallon stainless steel tanks;
others carry three 10-gallon tanks. Propane is a
stable and predictable fuel, but highly volatile (burns
easily). It is carried in liquid form, under pressure in
the tanks, and supplied to the burners through flexible
hoses. The burner flame may shoot out 6 to 8 feet
in the blast that the pilot controls. A typical flight
lasting 1 hour, with 3 people aloft, will consume about
20 gallons of propane. Some balloons have two
independent burner and fuel systems for added safety.

Where do balloons land?

Since a balloon travels with the wind, it is
not possible to determine an exact landing site
prior to launch. However, a pilot is able, through
the study of wind currents, to determine the
general direction of the flight.

Can anyone pilot a balloon?

Balloon pilots must have an aircraft pilot's
license especially for balloons. This license is issued
by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and is
earned after taking hours of instruction with a
balloon pilot instructor, passing an FAA written test,
making a solo flight, and passing a flight test with
an FAA examiner. Currently there are more than
3,200 balloons in the United States.

How do pilots steer them?

Generally speaking, they don't. A balloon drifts in
the same direction and at the same speed as the
wind. The skill is for the pilot to pick the altitude that
has the most desired wind direction. Surface winds
sometimes blow in a very different direction from the
winds aloft. Altitude control is achieved with the
on-board burner. Longer "burns" will achieve lift.
Shorter "burns", or none at all will allow the air to
cool, and the balloon to descend.

How high do balloons go?

Flights in hot air balloons have been recorded
at over 50,000 feet. However, the sport of
ballooning is most enjoyable when flying 200
to 500 feet - just above the treetops. When
balloons fly over populated areas, they maintain
an altitude of at least 1,000 feet.

How long can balloons stay up?

Most balloons can fly for about 1 hour
depending on the outside temperature and
the weight carried. On a cold day with only
the pilot flying, a 2-3 hour flight would
be possible.

When is the best time to fly?

Hot air ballooning is a year-round sport.
Weather conditions for ballooning are best
just after sunrise and 2-3 hours before
sunset. Light, ideal winds (0-8 mph) often
occur during these times. During the day,
when the sun is high, thermals (large bubbles
of hot air that rise from the sun-heated earth)
make ballooning hazardous.

How much does a balloon cost?

The average balloon costs from $20,000
to over $35,000. This price includes the
envelope, gondola, fuel tanks, and instruments,
but does not include any ground support equipment.

How do you get home again?

After the balloon is launched, the "chase crew"
follows in a chase vehicle. Using maps of the
area and radios, as well as visual contact, they
try to be close by when the balloon lands. The
crew helps the pilot deflate and disassemble
the balloon and return passengers and
equipment back home.

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