How Do Hot Air Balloons Work? Get All The Details Here
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Hot air balloons are a unique mode of transport that everybody wants to experience once in their lifetime.
Hot air balloons were the first human-carrying flight and were very much loved. Although hot air balloons were created in France, the technology spread to other parts of the world very fast.
The technology used in olden times was different from modern times. The first hot air balloon used various materials to fly and it proved difficult to control the balloon's altitude, so was unsafe.
After this, balloons were made to use propane gas to rise, which is a better and more efficient way to stay airborne for a long time. It also provided more control over the safety of the balloon.
Most balloons have a compartment of hydrogen gas and helium in the top. Another kind of balloon is a pure gas balloon that does not use hot air and the altitude is controlled by dropping ballast or venting the gas.
History
The history of hot air balloons is quite interesting. Hot air balloons are one of the most unique flying machines ever made. People were able to fly before the plane was invented. How is this possible? Below are some interesting facts about ballooning history.
The sky lantern was the unmanned and premodern hot air balloon. Zhuge Liang of the Shu Han kingdom used sky lanterns for military signaling.
The first human to travel in a hot air balloon was in 1783 in a balloon made by Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier, two French brothers.
Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier developed a device that is lighter than air. They discovered that the science behind the rise in the balloon is related to the heated air inside the lightweight bag.
They tested these flights with the help of animals and after continuous success, the balloon was launched in Paris, with two of their friends traveling in it. The balloon traveled for 20-25 minutes to a height of about 500 ft (152 m) and landed in a vineyard, proving it to be safe and stunning the crowd.
Just like the monkeys sent to space, a duck, a sheep, and a rooster were the first hot air balloon passengers for the Montgolfier brothers in 1783. 'Aerostat Reveillon' was the first hot air balloon launched by scientist Pilatre De Rozier on September 19, 1783.
This balloon was in the sky for around 15 minutes before landing safely on the ground.
The Montgolfier brothers achieved numerous awards and honors for their efforts and design.
How are hot air balloons made?
Who wouldn't want to fly in the sky amongst the clouds and see the world from up high? Thinking of this in ancient times would have been a dream, but now this is possible by parachutes, airplanes, and hot air balloons.
Initially, people were scared to try flying and very few enjoyed it, so there was a mixed feeling. Do you know what materials are used to make a hot air balloon and how they are made?
There are three parts to a hot air balloon: the envelope, the basket or gondola, and the burner. The materials utilized in the making of a hot air balloon are:
Envelope: The large part of a hot air balloon is the envelope containing heated air, which is a large fabric bag made of Dacron (polyester) or nylon that is light and strong. The envelope is the part between the balloon basket and load tapes.
The envelope is vertically stitched in gores which are stitched tightly so that the air inside does not leak out.
The envelope is kept open at the bottom, known as the throat and the top, known as the crown, has a small hole called a parachute vent. These two parts help the balloon to utilize air.
Basket: The next part of a balloon is the basket which attaches underneath the envelope and the burner. The basket carries passengers, the pilot, and a propane gas cylinder.
Hot air balloon baskets are wicker, rattan and fiberglass, or aluminum. Wicker and rattan are lightweight but very strong and give a traditional look. Balloon baskets come in rectangular, triangular, and square shapes.
Burner: A burner is the part of a hot air balloon used to heat the air inside and is situated on top of the basket. It is a single-unit propane burner powered by more than two fuel tanks.
How They Fly
How do hot air balloons work? What is the technique used behind it? How do they stay in the air? How do they come down? When we gaze at these beautiful balloons, these are some of the questions in our minds. Let's explore the answers to these questions.
Hot air balloons work on the principles of buoyancy. This principle states that hot air rises while cold air descends.
This means that hot air balloons are capable of going up in the air because the hot air inside has a lower density than the cooler air outside the envelope, causing it to drift upwards. The air pressure squeezes the balloon until the air density outside equals the air density inside.
There are liquid propane tanks at the bottom of the basket. When the steel coils heat up, the liquid propane turns into hot gas and the balloon begins to rise.
The pilot can maneuver the balloon in any direction as the wind blows in different altitudes and different directions. When the pilot wants to guide the balloon up and down, they switch on the burner to make the balloon rise or allow the cool air to vent to make it sink.
Flying in a hot air balloon is not easy. It requires a lot of teamwork, heat, and air to get off the ground, as the balloon flies in the direction of the wind and has no set landing site.
Hot air balloons often stay in the air for an hour. After moving for an hour and so, the pilot on a passenger flight lands the balloon safely and in an open space.
Controlling a balloon is quite simple. To ensure the balloon remains stable, the pilot is required to keep firing the burner at frequent intervals.
When the hot air rises, a small quantity escapes from the bottom hole of the envelope. The pilot has to open the propane valve and let the flame rise into the envelope so the balloon can float upwards.
Facts About Hot Air Balloons
What is so unique about hot air balloons? Here are some facts about hot air balloons that will amaze you.
Jean Pierre Blanchard, a French balloon enthusiast, and his co-pilot, John Jefferies, an American, were the first to fly in a hot air balloon across the English Channel in 1785.
Hot air balloons were used during the Battle of Fleurus during the French Revolution in 1794 to spy on the enemy. The balloon flew for nine hours.
Louis XVI was reluctant to choose a pilot for the premiere flight of the hot air balloon as he did not wish to risk any valuable lives. Louis XVI thought the pilot might die, so he decided to send condemned criminals, but this idea was dropped.
In 1783, Jean-François Pilâtre De Rozier and an aristocrat by the name of François Laurent d'Arlandes decided to fly the balloon. The balloon flew for just 20 minutes in the air.
On December 1, 1783, a new hydrogen balloon was launched by professor Jacques Charles and the Robert brothers from the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris.
The first modern hot air balloon was the Bristol Belle, which was built in 1967 in the United Kingdom (UK).
In the early '60s, hot air balloons were used to carry people as a sport. Today ballooning is all about winning competitions conducted all over the world. The first championship was conducted in the United States in 1973.
Modern hot air balloons are made in many shapes, such as various commercial products and rocket ships.
Vijaypat Singhania claims the world record for the highest hot air balloon flight by reaching 69,850 ft (21,290 m) on November 26, 2005.
Gas balloons and hybrid balloons have been used for long-distance world competitions. Usually, these balloons fly between 500-2,500 ft (152-762 m ) with a speed of 10 mph (16 kph).
In 2010, Christian Brown presented his glass-bottomed hot air balloon at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.
Nowadays hot air balloons are becoming more popular and a great source of entertainment, so that people worldwide want to experience this amazing mode of transport. It is budget-friendly and worthwhile to fly in a hot air balloon.
We hope you enjoyed reading the history, science, and facts about hot air balloons. So, if you ever have a chance to explore this mode of transport, just enjoy the flight.
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