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A hot air balloon pilot has a great amount of control of the vertical profile
of the balloon flight. With experience a pilot will be able to control the
balloon to within a few feet either up or down. Horizontal control though, is
always a factor of the wind. Winds at different altitudes are sometimes
different directions. So by changing altitude you can adjust your direction of
travel slightly. Generally speaking though, you just go with the wind.
There are 3 key positions to launching a balloon:
- the crown line; requires 1-2 people to steady the balloon during cold air
and hot air inflation
- the mouth or skirt area; requires 2 people to hold the 'mouth' of the
balloon open during inflation, especially during the initial burn
- the fan; controls the inflator during inflation
Additional people are always welcome during inflation. During landing the you
can always use additional help to 'burp' the balloon and stuff that gigantic
thing back into the little tiny bag. Also that gondola always seems to weigh
more after landing than when you were setting it up!
Well...not really. Most balloon fiesta's or rally's use various balloon
'tasks' to challenge the competing pilots. These tasks can be things like a Hare
& Hound, Judge Declared Goal or various fly to target events. All of these
events require the pilot to judge the winds at various altitudes to try and
adjust the course of the balloon. Then the pilot will drop a bean bag and
streamer marked with his name or number. The closest marker to the target wins.
It's quite amazing to see how close skilled pilots can come to targets after
flying 4-5 miles.
At some Rally's they will takeoff 3 miles or more away from a
the target site at a location of their choice outside the mandatory radius. They
will fly towards a tall pole with a big ring attached. If they grab the ring
they win a brand new car. It's a great fun to watch them reach so far for that
ring. And some of them do it!
This one is pretty easy. Our large balloon
holds 77,500 cubic feet of cold air air while on the ground. Heat applied to the
air in the balloon envelope expands all the air molecules, until sufficient
weight of air has been expelled to make the system lighter and buoyant, so that
it wants to float. i.e. All the weight of the balloon basket, fuel envelope, and
passengers must be offset by the correct amount of lift causing the balloon to
rise.
Cold air is heavy air and wants to sink, hot air is lighter air and wants to
rise This is why chest freezers in Supermarkets can be left open at the top, and
why the smoke and heat from a campfire drifts upward.
Back to Top
An FAA licensed balloon carries several mandatory instruments
and some optional ones. Required on a hot air balloon is a pyrometer. This
device uses a thermocouple to measure the temperature at the very top of the
balloon and sends it to an indicator in the basket. Also onboard is an altimeter
to measure the height of the balloon above ground as well as a variometer, a
device that indicates in 100's of feet per minute, whether the balloon is going
up or down.
Optional equipment that many balloonists carry includes: GPS
units that indicate the balloons position, direction and speed of travel; radios
to communicate with the crew that is 'chasing' the balloon; and aircraft radios
to talk to the FAA Air Traffic Control system
It's easy to join a crew and begin a long and lasting friendship with many
people in a very unique sport. Simply walk up to any balloon team you see and ask
the pilot if they need any additional help now or i the future. They will keep
you on a crew roster and call you whenever flights are planned. Many pilots give
their crew balloon rides after they assist with a few flights and help out
regularly. For more information check out our
Crew Bulletin link.
As with automobiles this can vary widely depending on a lot of
factors. First you have to decide whether you are going to buy a new balloon or
a used balloon. Then you have to decide which balloon manufacture you will buy.
Here at RBC we prefer Aerostar balloons.
Next you need to decide what options you want on your balloon:
the size and style of basket; the size of propane tanks (10,15,18 or 20 gal);
the size of the envelope can be quite large from 50,000 cu ft to larger than
105,000 cu ft.; the design, style and artwork on your envelope can cause the
cost to be higher or lower; and the age of your used balloon based on number of
flight hours can impact the cost.
With all of these factors you can see there will be a wide
range of balloon systems and costs. On average you can buy used balloons in the
$5,000 - $20,000 and a brand new balloon in the $20,000 - $50,000 range.
Various Hot Air Balloon rally's are held around the US and
even here in Rochester, MN. The Rochester rally is typically a part of
Rochesterfest a citywide celebration held during the last part of June each
year. Between 20-30 balloons compete in various events during that weekend.
Around the US you can find balloon Nationals held in Michigan
and Iowa each year. There is also the large Albuquerque festival each October.
You can sometimes see up to 700 balloons at some of these events!
For additional festival information you can check the web site
here.
On a balloon ride you really need to take very little. One
thing is what to wear. We would suggest light and cool clothes in the Summer. If
possible though we would recommend long pants because of the weeds, grass and
fields we may walk in upon landing. In the Fall or Winter warmer clothes with
jacket as required. Sunglasses are a good idea and of course a camera is highly
recommended. If it's really warm a small bottle of water is helpful. That's
about it....hop aboard and enjoy your flight!
Due to the necessity of light winds, you will see hot air
balloons flying only in the early morning and late evening. We usually will fly
within 2 hours after sunrise and then the 2 hours before sunset. That's when the
winds and temperatures are best.
Since the balloon envelope is so big (65 ft tall and 55 ft in
diameter) it very easily catches the slightest wind gust. So during inflation
and landing very light winds are required. We will never fly in winds greater
than 10-12 mph on the surface and we much prefer winds in the area of 6-9 mph.
Sometimes winds aloft can be higher and we may be moving along at 15-20mph once
over 1,000 ft or more. But at the surface the winds must be light at launch and
forecast to be light by the time we land.
Balloon rides can only be given by pilots with Commercial
License Certificates. The pilot must be insured for flying commercially, have an
inspected balloon system that is FAA approved, pay for their propane and balloon
depreciation and incur other misc expenses such as chase vehicle maintenance,
trailers, radios, and gasoline.
With all those expenses involved it's amazing balloon rides
are so reasonable! Here at the RBC web site you can find you everything you want
to know about the cost of rides and ballooning weather at the link
here.
Balloon fabric in our Aerostar Balloons is made out of a
rip-stop nylon from Dupont. The fabric has excellent characteristics that
combine an air tight seal with a nylon weave that is nearly impossible to rip
even once it is cut. The fabric is coated with chemicals that can withstand the
high temperatures within the envelope, especially at the top of the balloon
system. It also is coated to drastically minimize the porosity of the envelope
so that only a very small amount of the heated air bleeds through the fabric and
escapes. Various dyes, colors, patterns and shapes are made to shape the balloon
into whatever the imagination can dream up.
All it takes is some time, a willingness to learn and some
money! The best way to get hands on information about a balloon and what it's
like to fly is to crew for a pilot for some period of time. You learn about the
balloon system, what it takes to fly and some of the rules and regulations
required to get a license.
All of these involve a written test of regulations and safety
and a 'check ride', similar to a drivers test, by an FAA authorized instructor
or examiner. Balloon flying lessons can be arranged through Rochester Balloon
Company or other authorized instructors in the area.
There are 3 classifications of a FAA balloon pilots license
- SUBPART C - STUDENT PILOTS
1. A student must be at least 14 years of age.
2. He must be able to read, speak, write and understand the
English language.
3. No medical certificate is required.
4. Student pilot certificates may be issued by FAA
inspectors or designated pilot examiners.
5. Student pilots may solo after demonstrating to their
instructor by passing a written exam that they are familiar with Part 91 and
61 of the 14 CFR (Federal Aviation Regulations), airspace where the solo will
take place, balloon flight characteristics and limitations, and are proficient
in balloon operations of pre-flight preparation, operation of controls,
lift-off and climb, descent and landing, and emergency situations.
6. A student pilot may not carry passengers or fly a balloon
for hire.
- SUBPART D - PRIVATE PILOTS
1. To be eligible for a free balloon private pilot's
certificate, a person must be at least 16 years of age.
2. Read, speak, write and understand the English language.
3. No medical certificate required.
4. The applicant must pass a written test on such items as:
- 14 CFR (Federal Aviation Regulations) covering pilot
privileges, limitations, and flight procedures,
- Use of navigation charts,
- Recognition of weather conditions and use of weather
reports,
- Operating procedures with hot air balloons.
5. The applicant must have received instruction on the
following pilot operations:
- Ground handling and inflation,
- Navigation
- Airport operations
- Preflight checks,
- Takeoff and ascents,
- Descents and landings,
- Emergency conditions.
- Postflight procedures
6. Flight experience must include at least 10 hours in free
balloons, which must include 6 flights under the supervision of an instructor.
These flights must include at least the following: two training flights of at
least one hour long within 60 days of the scheduled check ride, one ascent to
2,000 feet above takeoff point, and one solo flight (these requirements are
for hot air balloons; requirements for gas balloons are slightly different).
- SUBPART E - COMMERCIAL PILOTS
1. The age requirement for a commercial pilot certificate is
18 years.
2. Read, speak, write and understand the English language.
3. No medical certificate required.
4. The applicant must pass a more advanced written test on
the subject matter listed in 61.125, additional operating procedures relating
to commercial operations, and those duties required of a flight instructor.
5. Advanced training must be received from an authorized
instructor covering those items listed in 61.127 (b)(8).
6. The applicant for a commercial certificate must have at
least 35 hours of flight time as a pilot, of which 20 hours must be in
balloons (remaining 15 hours may be in other aircraft). Flight time must
include 10 hours in free balloons, 10 flights under the supervision of an
instructor, 2 solo flights, 2 flights of at least one hour duration, two
training flights within 60 days of the scheduled check ride and one flight to
3,000 feet above the take-off point.
7. The holder of a commercial pilot's certificate may
operate a balloon for hire and may give flight instruction.
Just ask any crew member! the answer: while on the ground
DEFINITELY NOT!
Balloons are heavy. The envelope on a balloon weighs around
250lbs, the wicker basket with all it's equipment and fully loaded fuel tanks
might weigh around 450lbs and then their are the passengers. Add all that up and
it's a lot of pounds!
But the FAA licensed category for balloon systems is:
'Lighter than air, with airborne heater required'
So what's the scoop? Well while indeed balloons are very heavy
on the ground, while in flight with several tons of heated air inside, the
balloon is at that time indeed, lighter than air. That's what causes it to
ascend every so gracefully. So the answer is yes, hot air balloons are
classified as lighter than air aircraft according to the FAA. But according to
the crew...they are very definitely heavier than they'd like!
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Last Updated
02/28/2008
