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What is a hot air balloon? Parts, how it works and why it flies


A hot air balloon

What is a  
hot air balloon?

A hot air balloon is an aircraft.

Why does a hot air balloon fly?

The hot air balloon flyies thanks to the Principle of Archímedes.
It says that "a body totally or partially submerged in a fluid at rest receives a push from bottom upwards equal to the weight of the volume of the fluid that displaces." 

To make it easier, the hot air inside the balloon allows it to fly.

The aircraft

The balloon has 3 main parts: the nasket, the burner and the envelope..  

The basket
The basket of the balloon it's handmade and made of rush. However, technology has evolved and occasionally the basket is made with lighter materials that allows the basket to fold.
 

There are a variety of baskets, sizes and designs. From a basket where only the pilot can fit, to baskets that can carry 30 passengers.

One of the features of Camins de Vent is that we have accessible baskets with doors, where we can also put an homologed seat so that people with reduced mobility can also enjoy the experience.

There are also balloons that do not have a basket, and that the pilot sits with a seat carrying the gas cylinder and burner.

The burner 
The burner is the engine of the hot air ballloon. It warms the air of the envelope with a flame that has 600ºC and a power of 5m height.

The burners can do two different flames, the efficent one is the once already explained. The liquid flame is used to fly over forests and areas with animals. It is a silent flame and it is also more brighter. Therefore it is used on night events as it is more spectacular.

The fuel used i by the burner is propane gas, stored in propane bottles.

The envelope
The envelope is the part of the balloon that is filled with air and causes it to rise. It is made of nylon, a thin, lightweight fabric that guarantees extraordinary strength and durability throughout flights.

The designs of theenvelopes can be very varied depending on their purpose. Ultramagic, the leading company in the manufacture of balloons, has different types; for competition, for passenger flights and for advertising.

The more cubic meters of hot air a balloon's envelope can store, the more weight and more passengers it can lift.

You can read more about balloons here.

Read also

Frequently asked questions about hot air balloons

Who invented the hot air balloon and in what year?

The Montgolfier brothers — Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne — performed the first public manned hot air balloon flight on 21 November 1783 in Paris. The passengers were Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes, who travelled about 9 kilometres in 25 minutes over the French capital.

Why does a hot air balloon fly?

It flies thanks to the Archimedes principle applied to air: the hot air inside the envelope is less dense than the cold air outside, generating an upward force (buoyancy). The greater the temperature difference between inside and outside, the more lift you get. The pilot regulates temperature with the burner to climb, descend or hold altitude.

At what speed and altitude does a hot air balloon fly?

A hot air balloon moves at the same speed as the wind, typically 5–25 km/h on tourist flights. Cruising altitude usually sits between 300 and 1,000 metres, although the technical ceiling is much higher. The pilot cannot control horizontal direction — only the altitude, in order to catch the winds blowing at each atmospheric layer.

What are the main parts of a hot air balloon?

A balloon has three main parts: the envelope (the "balloon" itself, made of heat-resistant nylon or polyester), the basket (traditionally hand-woven from wicker for its flexibility and impact resistance), and the burner, which heats the air inside using propane stored in cylinders within the basket.

What fuel does a hot air balloon use?

Modern balloons use liquid propane stored in cylinders inside the basket. The burner can produce two flame types: an efficient flame (very hot, up to about 600 °C, used to gain altitude) and a liquid flame (quieter, used to fly over wildlife areas or for night-glow shows).

How many people can fit in a hot air balloon?

Capacity depends on envelope size. Small baskets hold the pilot and 1–2 passengers, while large commercial balloons can carry up to 30 people in compartmentalised baskets. The more cubic metres of hot air the envelope contains, the more weight it can lift.

Can a hot air balloon be steered?

Not horizontally. A balloon has no rudder and no propulsion of its own — it follows the wind. The only thing the pilot actively controls is altitude, opening the burner to climb or releasing hot air through the top vent to descend. Navigation relies on choosing the altitude where winds blow in the desired direction.

Is flying in a hot air balloon safe?

Yes. Ballooning is among the forms of aviation with the lowest rate of serious incidents according to international aviation safety statistics. Commercial flights in Europe are regulated by EASA (in Spain, AESA), and every commercial pilot must hold a valid licence, current medical certificate and accredited flight hours. Envelopes are inspected regularly and the materials are certified.
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