| Invented in France in 1783, hot air balloons | | | | envelope and inflate it just enough to |
| are the oldest successful flight machines | | | | establish the shape, then the burner is used |
| made by mankind. They range from very basic | | | | to heat the air inside while the users hold |
| balloons to their advanced cousins, the | | | | the balloon down with ropes. Once the wind |
| airship or zeppelin. | | | | has been judged using smaller balloons the |
| | | | pilot can take off, rising or descending into |
| Ballooning is very different from other forms | | | | different air currents to change direction. |
| of flight. The experience is very quiet, | | | | |
| gives an amazing view, and the movement is | | | | The balloon has been used throughout history; |
| very gentle. The giant balloon itself is | | | | the Chinese used small unmanned balloons as |
| called the envelope and come in a variety of | | | | signalling tools and they were employed as |
| spectacular colours and designs, as well as | | | | lookout posts during the American civil war |
| unusual shapes. These days they are made from | | | | and the French revolutionary wars. Despite |
| nylon and the base from a fire resistant | | | | their appearance as being slow, lumbering and |
| material. A burner at the base, usually gas, | | | | fragile, Hot air balloons are able to fly to |
| provides hot air which rises into the | | | | extremely high altitudes. On November 26, |
| envelope and provides lift, gently causing | | | | 2005, Vijaypat Singhania set the world |
| the balloon to rise into the sky. The | | | | altitude record for highest hot air balloon |
| buoyancy is closely related to the difference | | | | flight, reaching 21,290 meters (69,852 feet). |
| between air temperature inside the balloon | | | | He took off from downtown Bombay, India and |
| and outside, meaning that the air does not | | | | landed 240 km (150 miles) south in Panchale. |
| have to be tremendously hot, just more than | | | | The furthest that a hot air balloon has ever |
| the air around it. Most nylon balloons us a | | | | been flown is 7,671.91 km. In January 15, |
| maximum of 120 degrees Celsius. | | | | 1991, the Virgin Pacific Flyer balloon |
| | | | completed the longest flight in a hot air |
| Most flights launch early in the morning when | | | | balloon when Per Lindstrand (born in Sweden, |
| he air is coolest and the winds are generally | | | | but resident in the UK) and Richard Branson |
| low. The envelope is unpacked and a fan is | | | | of the UK flew from Japan to Northern Canada. |
| used to blow normal cold air into the | | | | |