Hot air balloons are often described as being the preserve of rich individuals or companies with more money than sense. In reality, neither is true – ballooning can be both great fun and relatively inexpensive if undertaken in the right way. The information below describes some of the key areas surrounding ballooning, from the balloons themselves to weather forecasting and the retrieving of a balloon after landing.

Ever wondered how hot air balloons fly? It really is pretty simple: Hot air rises and cold air sinks. The hot air in a hot air balloon pushes up, keeping the balloon floating. A hot air balloon has three major components:

• Envelope – the fabric bag that holds the hot air
• Burner – produces the flame to heat the air
• Basket – holds & protects the occupants

When the air inside the envelope is heated, the balloon rises. To descend, the pilot allows the air to cool and the balloon becomes heavier than air. The pilot has complete control of the up-and-down movements by controlling the heat in the envelope.  Once airborne, balloons simply float with the wind.

Before the balloon is launched, the pilot knows which way the wind is blowing so he knows which way the balloon will go. The air is in layers, and the different layers may be moving in different directions. So even though the pilot can’t steer the balloon, he can move up and down to find a layer of air that will allow the balloon to change direction.

Except for the equipment used in ballooning, the weather is perhaps the most important factor in any balloon flight. Typically, a hot air balloon tends not to fly when:

• It’s raining
• It’s windy
• It’s dark

Because the air needs, ideally, to be still, ballooning is a dawn and dusk sport that takes place during settled periods of weather such as when high pressure dominates.  A balloon is most often seen at sunrise and in the late evening as the sun is going down.  The pilot will check the local weather conditions prior to launch, and this can determine where the balloon will launch from.

One of the most important parts of any balloon flight is retrieving the balloon when it lands. As the balloon lands, the chase crew (who have been following the balloon’s path in a vehicle), asks the landowner for permission to retrieve the balloon.  Once received, the crew can help the pilot and passengers pack the balloon away, ready for the next flight.

Since the pilot only has limited ability to manoeuvre the balloon during flight, relations with landowners are vital – every landing is made on ‘borrowed’ land.  The BBAC work with organisations such as the NFU (National Farmers Union) to ensure good relations continue.

Do you want to find out more about ballooning?   Interested in becoming a member of a balloon team?

Visit the BBAC website at: www.bbac.org