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BALLOONS OVER BRISBANE |
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frequently asked questions.....About Hot Air BalloonsWhy do you fly so early in the morning? Hot air balloons need stable and consistent winds to operate effectively and the hours just following sunrise are the best for finding these winds. Since hot air balloons move with the prevailing air currents, the weather is very important in deciding whether or not to fly. Our pilots choose a launch site and use the winds to fly towards a suitable landing site. CLOSE What is the hot air balloon made of? The first couple of panels of the hot air balloon are made of Nomex; which is what race car drivers wear; its extremely fire retardant. The colourful envelope is made of rip-stop nylon, the same type of cloth that parachutes are made of. It is very tightly woven and is coated with a material that makes it very air tight. The basket has at it's core an aluminium or steel framework with steel cables running underneath and above into the Balloon via 24 flying wires - thus dispersing the basket load into the Balloon. Hot air balloons range in size from about 47,000 cubic feet for a 1 or two passenger "cloud hopper" anywhere up to 400,000 to 500,000 cubic feet balloons capable of carrying a pilot + 20 to 25 passengers. There are 400's flying in Alice Springs and on The Tablelands, Cairns. CLOSE Why is the basket made of wicker? The wicker basket has proven to be very strong for its weight and is flexible. The wicker is woven around a steel or aluminum frame, which helps to support the upright posts upon which the burner is mounted. The top rim of the basket and the uprights are padded and covered in suede or leather. CLOSE How is the hot air balloon inflated? When the time comes to put the hot air balloon up, the envelope is removed from the bag and laid out in a long line. The burners are attached to the uprights, and the basket is attached to the cables on the bottom of the envelope. An engine driven fan is used to inflate the envelope with cold air. When partially inflated, the air is heated by a burner and the envelope rises above the basket. With further heating, there is sufficient 'lift' for the hot air balloon to fly. CLOSE What kind of fuel is used for the burners? To heat the air, the burners are fuelled by propane gas, much the same as you probably use in your backyard barbecue grill. The burners do not run continuously; they are only used intermittently to heat the air to maintain the required lift. CLOSE How tall is a hot air balloon? Depending on the weight capacity, hot air balloons may be as tall as 100 feet. CLOSE How are hot air balloon pilots licensed? Hot air balloons are registered like any other aircraft and are subject to regular airworthiness checks. C.A.S.A. (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) will not allow a hot air balloon to be certified as airworthy unless these inspections and checks are done by authorized maintenance personnel and certified by them. All hot air balloon pilots are licensed by the C.A.S.A. and have to pass regular flight checks. CLOSE How do you steer a hot air balloon? The hot air balloon goes wherever the wind takes it. However, pilots can seek higher or lower altitudes to find wind currents of various direction. We refer to it as the truest form of sailing. CLOSE How Safe is a hot air balloon? Ballooning is considered one of the safest forms of flying - especially since the advent (in the last 10-15 years) of vast improvements in equipment, training and regulating. You just don't get the part time 'Cowboys' anymore. These days, Pilots and Ground Crew are vastly skilled and experienced. CLOSE How high does the hot air balloon fly? Generally between 500ft up to 2000ft above sea level, though on occasions we may go as high as 3000ft. CLOSE Why is Champagne served after the flight? It is a very special feeling to have had your first balloon flight, and we celebrate this with a champagne toast - a tradition that goes back to the very first flight in the Champagne region in France, late 1700's. It is said that Peasant French Farmers frightened by these 'UFO's' would attack the helpless pilots believing them Aliens. The Pilots began taking Bottles of Champagne with them to prove they were indeed friendly Earthlings and thus the Champagne tradition was born. CLOSE Can you fly in the evenings? You can fly Balloons in the evening, however not in The Tropics. Weather conditions become far too fickle and unstable. CLOSE BALLOONIST"S PRAYER May the wind welcome you with softness May the Sun bless you with warm hands. May you fly so high and so well that God joins you in laughter and sets you gently Back again into the loving arms of Mother Earth. CLOSE
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