Up, Up And Away On A Hot Air Balloon

Probably one of the earliest of human wishes andA flying balloon is operated by partially inflating the
the subject of endless endeavor is flight. Moreenvelope with cold air and then using propane
than the attendant romance to this possibility, it isburners to inflate the balloon through the opening
the idea of utter freedom that makes flying soor mouth. The heat source produces enough heat
alluring and men have not slowed down in theirto create a difference in temperature between
quest to discover and use technology to makethe air inside the balloon and the air surrounding it.
this dream come true. And he has, to someWhen the air temperature inside the balloon is
degree, successfully used his skill and knowledgehigher than the ambient air, it becomes lighter and
by inventing the hot air balloon.rises, carrying its gondola and passengers with it.
How these balloons rose to fameThe altitude a balloon can reach depends on the
What we have today in terms of modern balloondifference between the temperature inside the
technology we owe to the Josef and Etienneenvelope and the surrounding air. Theoretically, the
Montgolfier of Annonay, France who flew the firsthigher the temperature difference (with the inside
successful hot air balloon in 1783, with animalsenvelope temperature higher than the ambient
onboard as passengers. As paper manufacturers,air), the higher the balloon will go. However,
the brothers had initially noticed that ash rose withincrease in temperature can cause faster
the flames when they burned paper. Whendegradation of nylon so internal temperature is
animals survived the flight, it was decided thatlimited to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
humans can safely go onboard.Why hot air balloons are so popular
King Louis XVI, also known as Marie Antoniette'sModern use of flying balloons is primarily
husband, declared that only condemned criminalsrecreational, although they are also used for other
should be allowed to man balloon flights. Two verypurposes, for example, as methods of
brave men, Marquis Francois d'Arlandes and Pilatretransportation for scientific studies involving tree
de Rozier, a physicist, successfully lobbied to becanopies and animal life at higher altitudes.
allowed to participate in the first flight. TheirHot air balloons have continued to attract new
balloons were made of cloth with hot air suppliedenthusiasts because they are relatively simple to
by a grill.operate and are provide an exhilarating
The military connectionexperience coupled with spectacular views. They
The earliest recorded use of hot air balloons wereare also relatively smooth and quiet, aside from
those employed during the Shu era by Chinesethe sound of occasional bursts from propane
General Zhuge Liang, a distinguished administratorburners.
and strategist. His unmanned balloons, calledSport balloon highs
Kongming lanterns, were used by the military as aThe highest altitude ever achieved on a balloon
means to exchange signals with their comrades.was made by Vijaypat Singhania of Bombay,
Manned use for military purposes was done byIndia, reaching 69,852 feet on November 26,
the French during the Revolutionary wars when2005. He broke the previous record set by Per
they used a hydrogen balloon to spy on theLindstrand by 4,872 feet.
Austrian army in 1794. Balloons were also used byThe farthest flight ever completed on a hot air
the Confederate army during the American civilballoon was made by the Virgin Pacific Flyer when
war, although they were unsuccessful andPer Lindstrand and Richard Branson of U.K. flew to
incompetent enough to be captured by the Union.Northern Canada from Japan. They covered
How balloons rise7,671.91 km. on January 15, 1991.
Today's balloons are almost similar to the onesThe longest flight duration was clocked at 50
flown during the early years, except that modernhours and 38 minutes. Two Japanese, Hirosuke
balloons use more durable and safer materials.Tekezawa and Michio Kanda completed this flight
Basically, a hot air balloon consists of the gondola,on January 2, 1997.
which carries the passengers and holds the heatThe largest balloon ever built was measured at
source and the balloon or envelope which keeps2,600,000 cubic feet and was used during the
the warm air contained. The cloth used for theVirgin Pacific Flyer record-setting flight. The
balloon is usually made from nylon and the mouthmanned flight also recorded the highest ground
closest to the flame is made from fire-resistantspeed at 394 km per hour.
fabric.