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How much does a balloon cost?
Like cars and boats, new balloons
can vary in size and amenities. You can start with a smaller sport
model for about $20,000. These balloons typically carry a pilot
and one additional person. The larger balloons that can carry
two or three passengers in addition to the pilot will range between
$20,000 and $30,000 dollars. There are many good used balloons
on the market that vary in price with size, age and flight hours.
How can I be involved without buying
a balloon or becoming a pilot?
Many people start in ballooning as
a crew person. In most areas, you can join a local club that organizes
races and community functions. You can also check the local yellow
pages for balloonists in your area and offer your services. Or,
the next time you see a balloon flying in your area, follow it
and offer to help when it lands.
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How do balloons fly?
Balloons operate through the basic
principles of gravity and hot air weighs less than cold air. As
air inside the balloon is heated, it rises. As the air inside the
balloon cools, it descends. To inflate the balloon, an inflator
fan fills it with cold air, and then the air is heated with the
burner(s).
Can you steer a balloon?
Winds determine
a balloon’s direction. Balloonists can steer a balloon, to
a limited extent, by adjusting the balloon’s altitude to make
use of the different layers of wind speeds and directions.
How long does a balloon flight last?
Actual flight times average about an
hour to two hours. The entire ballooning experience, including pre-flight
preparation, flight and post-flight celebration, may take two to
three hours.
What fuel do balloons use?
Sport hot-air balloons carry 20 to
45 gallons of propane in aluminum or stainless steel fuel tanks.
The propane is kept in pressurized tanks on the floor of the basket.
It is carried under pressure and passes to the burners through flexible
hoses. When the valves are opened, the propane vaporizes and is
ignited by a pilot light in the burners. The flame may shoot out
as much as ten or twenty feet, making a loud “whoosh.”
Why do balloons fly in the early morning and late
evening?
The air is more stable at those times
and winds are generally most favorable the first hours after sunrise
and the last hours before sunset. Since asphalt, trees, mesas, and
all things on earth absorb the suns heat differently vertical winds
develop (thermals) as the day progresses. Because the only control
a pilot has in a balloon is changing altitude, a pilot usually won’t
fly in the middle of the day when that control is lost. Hot air
balloon pilots usually prefer winds of less than 10 miles per hour.
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Who can be a balloonist?
Balloon pilots come from all walks
of life. Anyone with the desire to learn to fly a balloon, is at
least 16 years old and has no medical condition that would prevent
it, can become a pilot.
Do you need a pilot’s license?
Yes. There are two levels of balloon
pilot ratings. The first is a private pilot. The private pilot must
have at least 10 hours of flight time in free balloons, which must
include six flights under the supervision of an instructor. The
private pilot must pass a written test, oral test and a flight check
prior to being issued a private pilot’s license.
The second rating is a commercial pilot. The commercial pilot must
have at least 35 hours of flight time, of which at least 20 must
be in balloons (the remaining 15 hours may be in other aircraft).
The commercial pilot must pass an additional written, oral and flight
check prior to being issued a commercial pilot’s license.
The holder of a commercial pilot’s license may operate a balloon
for hire and may give flight instruction. What equipment is required for balloons?
Balloons include several parts: the
envelope (fabric portion of the balloon), the basket, burners and
fuel system. The material for balloon envelopes is made of rip stop
nylon or polyester with tough, durable coatings for heat and air
retention. The basket is usually made of wicker, which is strong,
yet flexible and is aesthetically pleasing. Burners are arranged
in single, double or triple configurations, and each burner typically
puts out 15,000,000 b.t.u.s. Fuel systems consist of aluminum or
stainless steel propane tank(s) and fuel hoses.
Other necessary equipment includes an
inflator fan, two-way radios and some means of transporting the
balloon from location to location when it’s not flying (chase
vehicle). |
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