| Most hot air balloon launches are made
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| | "targets". Once a pilot has directed the
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| during the cooler hours of the day, at
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| | balloon as close as possible to a target,
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| dawn or two to three hours before sunset.
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| | a weighted marker with an identifying
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| At these times of day, the winds are
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| | number written on it is dropped. The
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| typically light making for easier launch
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| | distance between a pilot's marker and
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| and landing of the balloon. Flying at
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| | that target determines his or her score.
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| these times also avoids thermals, which
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| | During some competitive flights, pilots
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| are vertical air currents caused by
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| | will be required to fly to 5 or more
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| ground heating, making control of the
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| | targets before landing. To assist with
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| balloon more difficult. In the extreme,
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| | navigation, topographic maps and GPS
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| the downdrafts associated with strong
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| | units are used. Another common form of
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| thermals can exceed the ability of a
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| | competition is the "Hare and Hound" race.
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| balloon to climb and can thus force a
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| | The Hare balloon takes off a set amount
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| balloon into the ground.
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| | of time before the Hound balloons and
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| Sequence
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| | typically flies with multiple altitude
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| A hot air balloon flight starts with
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| | changes to make it more difficult for the
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| unpacking the balloon from its carrying
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| | chasing balloons to match its flight
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| bag. A gasoline-powered fan is used to
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| | path. After a set amount of flight time,
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| blow cold (outside) air into the
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| | the Hare will land and typically lay out
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| envelope. The cold air partially inflates
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| | a target cross for the Hounds to drop
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| the balloon to establish its basic shape
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| | their weighted markers near. As above,
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| before the burner flame is aimed into the
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| | the distance between a pilot's marker and
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| mouth heating the air inside. A crew
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| | the target determines his or her score.
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| member stationed opposite the mouth,
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| | Some experienced pilots are able to take
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| holds a rope (crown line) tied to the
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| | a flight in one direction then rise to a
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| apex (crown) of the envelope. The
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| | different altitude to catch wind in a
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| "crown-man" role is two fold, one is to
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| | returning direction. With experience,
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| prevent the envelope from excessive sway
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| | luck, and the right conditions, some
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| and two is to prevent the balloon rising
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| | pilots are able to control a precision
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| until it is sufficiently buoyant. Once
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| | landing at the destination. On rare
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| the balloon is upright, pilot and
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| | occasions, they may be able to return to
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| passengers climb into the basket. When
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| | the launch site at the end of the flight.
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| the pilot is ready for launch, more heat
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| | This is sometimes called a box effect,
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| is directed into the envelope and the
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| | usually when flying in valleys with
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| balloon lifts off.
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| | drainage winds.
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| During the flight, the pilot's only
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| | Hazards
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| ability to steer the balloon is the
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| | The dangers of the sport include
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| ability to climb or descend into wind
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| | excessive (vertical or horizontal) speed
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| currents going different directions.
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| | during landing, mid-air collisions that
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| Thus, it is important for the pilot to
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| | may collapse the balloon, and colliding
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| determine what direction the wind is
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| | with high voltage power lines. It is the
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| blowing at altitudes other than the
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| | last of these, contact with power lines,
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| balloon's altitude. To do this, the pilot
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| | that poses the greatest danger. For
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| uses a variety of techniques. For
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| | instance, roughly 90% of serious
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| example, to determine wind directions
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| | ballooning accidents in the US involve
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| beneath the balloon a pilot might simply
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| | power line strikes. One reason for the
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| spit or release a squirt of shaving cream
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| | high frequency of such incidents is the
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| and watch this indicator as it falls to
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| | fact that pilots often attempt to land
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| determine where possible turns are (and
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| | their balloons on or near roads in order
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| their speed). Pilots are also looking for
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| | to reduce the amount of off-road driving
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| other visual clues such as flags on
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| | necessary to recover the balloon.
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| flagpoles, smoke coming from chimneys,
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| | However, in most rural areas where
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| etc. To determine wind directions above
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| | balloons fly, roads usually have power
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| the balloon, the pilot will obtain a
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| | lines running along them.
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| weather forecast prior to the flight
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| | The recent advent of vertically
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| which includes upper level wind
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| | aerodynamic sport balloons which can
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| forecasts. The pilot will also send up a
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| | climb and descend at twice the rate of a
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| helium pilot balloon, known as a
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| | conventional balloon (1500 ft/min as
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| met-balloon in the UK and pibal in the
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| | opposed to 700 ft/min) has significantly
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| USA, prior to launch to get information
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| | increased the danger posed by collision
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| about what the wind is actually doing.
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| | or accidental ground impact during
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| Another way to determine actual wind
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| | competition. Many pilots have also
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| directions is to watch other hot air
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| | reported strange aerodynamic performance
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| balloons, which are the equivalent of a
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| | during very aggressive climbs, such as
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| large met-balloon.
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| | greatly reduced air resistance at
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| The crew then pack up inflation equipment
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| | vertical speeds over +1500 ft/min,
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| and follow the balloon with the retrieve
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| | resulting in a sudden, unexpected
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| vehicle.
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| | acceleration. At present there is little
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| Once the balloon has landed, the envelope
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| | research into high vertical-speed balloon
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| is deflated and detached from the basket.
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| | flight to understand this phenomenon.
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| The envelope is then packed into its
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| | The FAA requires balloons to fly under
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| carrying bag. The burner and the basket
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| | visual flight rules. If equipped with
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| are separated and all components are
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| | lights that make it visible to other
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| packed into the retrieve vehicle.
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| | aircraft, balloons can fly in the dark.
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| Control
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| | However, such flights are usually limited
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| The top of a hot air balloon generally
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| | to either "dawn patrol" flights that
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| has a flap of fabric (often referred to
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| | begin before sunrise with landings made
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| as a parachute) that can be pulled
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| | after there is sufficient light to see
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| partially open (via a long line
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| | any obstacles or to race/record flights
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| connecting the parachute device to the
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| | that typically go throughout the night
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| gondola or basket) to allow the balloon
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| | and the landing again made during
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| pilot to release hot air in an emergency
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| | daylight hours.
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| or for better control of descent. The
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| | Tethered balloons are sometimes inflated
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| flap is pulled completely open to
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| | at night, an event called a "night glow"
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| collapse the balloon after landing.
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| | for the impressive visual effects. At
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| In competition, the pilots need to be
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| | such events, pilots will usually operate
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| able to read different wind directions at
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| | the liquid valve known as the whisper
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| different altitudes. Balloon competitions
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| | burner (or sometimes called the cow
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| are often called "races" but they're most
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| | burner) on the burner creating a
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| often a test of accuracy, not speed. For
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| | spectacular bright orange flame instead
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| most competitive balloon flights, the
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| | of the main valve which creates the more
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| goal is to fly as close as possible to
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| | typical (and efficient) blue flame.
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| one or more exact points called
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