Conquering the Skies: Mastering Hot Air Ballooning, Equipment, Costs

Let’s talk about the basic principles of the operation of hot air balloons, takeoff, landing, about how the equipment and prices.

This type flights appeared long before the first planes took off (1783 vs 1903). A hot air balloon is most correctly called aerostat or montgolfière – because of the Montgolfier brothers who did the first flight. But the phrase “Hot Air Balloon Ride” has stuck among the people.

By the way, did you know that the word “mountaineering” comes from the mountains of the Alps?

Why does it fly?

According to the law of Archimedes, a lifting force acts on a bag. It is achieved by the fact that the temperature of the envelope inside is higher than the temperature of the surrounding air. Because of this difference, the bag is pushed upwards, as it were.

How it is controlled? What are the weather conditions for flying?

The balloon flies where the wind blows. It directed by a gas burner with a cylinder (a mixture of propane and butane). With the help of an open flame, the air in the shell is heated, the temperature rises, the ball rises. The average temperature inside the shell is 50 – 130 degrees. In order to drop sharply, it is not necessary to wait for the ball to cool down, there are valves in the upper part of the shell for the rapid loss of heated air.

Harmful commercial flights last about an hour, although the fuel is for 2-3 hours. For an hour you can go for 10-20 km. The maximum altitude is 10,000 meters, but at 3 kilometers above sea level, your guests will inform about a lack of oxygen. Therefore, the average flight altitude is 500 m.

The takeoff time is chosen when the wind speed is the least – in the morning / evening. In addition, pilots make sure that the visibility is at least 5 km, there is no cumulus clouds (probability of thunderstorms), wind speed does not exceed 5 m/s. Knowing the direction & strength of the breeze, the pilot can foresee the flight path. But in fact, piloting aerostat is an improvisation according to existing weather conditions. That is why it is always accompanied by a ground team that will help with landing.

By the way, in order to register a balloon in Ukraine, you need to submit an application to the State Register of Civil Aircraft of Ukraine. And festivals are held throughout the year.

Takeoff and landing

When taking off a gondola, a pilot and 3 team members participate. The whole procedure takes 15 minutes.

A field of at least 50 x 50 meters is selected without stumps, trees, bushes and power lines. If the takeoff side is windy, a sheltered place from the wind is sought.

Then a burner clings to the wicker basket, gas cylinders are connected. The gas supply is checked. Further, in the direction of the breeze, a bag is stretched. The envelope is inflated with a fan for 5 minutes. Then, a burner is turned on to heat the air inside the bag. The envelope inflates and starts lifting the basket off the ground. All this time, the platform is tied to the car in case of a sudden gust of wind.

All aboard – take off!

Landing. It is coordinated by the ground crew. They can also sit on an ordinary courtyard football stadium in an open area. Experienced pilots can land the hot air balloon on the platform trailer of the escort car.

After the passengers have left the wicker-basket. Packing a envelope takes 20 minutes.

Prices and list of equipment

As a rule, manufacturers offer a different set of balloons with basic elements. These are shell, gondola and burners (thermal plant). The bag is made of wicker or reed, is covered with leather from the bottom. Burners can be single, double, triple or quarter burners (for 20 people).

The instrumentation consists of an altimeter, a vertical speed indicator (variometer), an indicator of the fuel level in gas cylinders, an indicator of the temperature in the shell and a radio communication station for the flight control centre or an escort vehicle. There is also a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher in the gondola.

The average price with a double gondola with thermal equipment is 10-12 thousand dollars. For 5 people 13-15 thousand dollars. For 13 people with a stainless steel frame, a triple gas burner & 6 fuel tanks will cost 20-25k dollars.

Production time is 30-55 days.

An example of a list of equipment for a 4-person aerostat

• Sheath made of Taffeta-190T PU R/S fabric (South Korea) (aramid parachute valve straps Edelrid (Germany), parachute halyard – tape SVM-14-600, bottom – refractory fabric with a cotton base with special impregnations).
• Gondola 100 x 125 cm made of wicker and rattan (power frame made of stainless steel, oak beams at the base, natural leather trim)
• The burner is gas, double, on a frame from nerzhav. become
• Gas cylinders 2 pieces (aluminium, “Worthington”)*
• Fan (engine “Honda GX-160 P = 5.5 HP)
• Air intake (flame retardant fabric)**
• Carabiners (steel, 8 pieces)
• Burner stands (fibreglass Ø16 mm braided, 4 pcs.)
• Covers for racks of a torch (4 pieces, genuine leather)
• Bag for racks, covers (PVC fabric)
• Sheath bag (PVC fabric)
• Cylinder strap (8 pcs.)
• Sleeve technological (for gas station of cylinders)
• Automobile adapter (for filling cylinders.)