HeatWave, BelleStar & BabyBalloon

Frequently Asked Questions

How do balloons fly?

Balloons operate through the basic principles of gravity and heat transfer. As air inside the balloon is heated, it rises. Essentially, hot air is lighter than cool air, because it has less mass per unit of volume.

A cubic foot of air weighs roughly 28 grams (about an ounce). If you heat that air by 100 degrees F, it weighs about 7 grams less. Therefore, each cubic foot of air contained in a hot air balloon can lift about 7 grams.

That's not much, and this is why hot air balloons are so huge -- To lift 1,000 pounds, you need about 65,000 cubic feet of hot air!

As the air inside the balloon cools, it descends.

Can you steer a balloon?

Winds determine a balloon’s direction. Balloonists can steer a balloon, to a limited extent, by adjusting the balloon’s altitude to make use of different wind speeds and directions.

How long does a balloon flight last?

The actual flight time averages about an hour to an hour and a half. The entire ballooning experience, including pre-flight preparation, flight and post-flight celebration, may take two to three hours.

What fuel do balloons use?

Sport hot air balloons carry 20 to 45 gallons of propane in stainless steel fuel tanks. They typically burn 12 to 18 gallons per hour.

Why do balloons fly in the early morning and late evening?

Winds are generally most favorable the first hours after sunrise and the last hours before sunset. The sun’s uneven heating of the earth’s surface causes strong, variable winds. In the morning, it takes a few hours for the sun to heat the earth’s surface enough to generate the thermal activity that creates wind. In the evening, the sun’s intensity has diminished enough to reduce winds to acceptable flight levels. Ideal winds are 3 to 6 mph.

How high do balloons fly?

Balloons typically fly from treetop level all the way up to several thousand feet, depending on what the pilot is trying to accomplish. The world record in a stock Aerostar hot air balloon is over 32,000 feet! Most recently a pilot in India set a record of about 77,000 ft above sea level in a hot air balloon.

 Who can be a balloonist?

Balloon pilots come from all walks of life. Anyone with the desire to learn to fly a balloon can become a pilot.

Do you need a pilot's license?

Yes. There are two levels of balloon pilot ratings. The first is a private pilot. The pilot must have at least 10 hours of flight time in free balloons, which must include six flights under the supervision of an instructor. The private pilot must pass a written test, oral test and flight check prior to being issued a private pilot’s license.

The second rating is a commercial pilot. The commercial pilot must have at least 35 hours of flight time, of which at least 20 must be in balloons (the remaining 15 hours may be in other aircraft). The commercial pilot must pass an additional written, oral and flight check prior to being issued a commercial pilot’s license. The holder of a commercial pilot’s license may operate a balloon for hire and may give flight instruction.

How can I be involved without buying a balloon or becoming a pilot?

Many people start in ballooning as a crew person. In most areas, you can join a local club that organizes races and community functions. You can also join the Balloon Federation of America, which is the national sanctioning body for the National Championships and is dedicated to promotion of the sport. In addition, you can check the local yellow pages for balloonists in your area and offer your services. Or, the next time you see a balloon flying in your area, follow it and offer to help when it lands.

What equipment is required for balloons?

Balloons include several parts: the envelope (the fabric portion of the balloon), the basket, burners and fuel systems. The material for Aerostar balloon envelopes is made of an exclusive Aerostar Diamond Weave™ ripstop nylon with tough, durable coatings for heat and air retention. The basket is made of wicker, which is strong, yet flexible and is aesthetically pleasing. Burners can come in either single, dual, or triple.

How much does a balloon cost?

Like cars and boats, new balloons can vary in size and amenities. You can start with a smaller sport model for around $14,000. These balloons typically carry a pilot and one additional person. The larger balloons that can carry two or three passengers in addition to the pilot will range between $25,000 and $45,000. There are many good used balloons on the market that vary in price due to size, age and flight hours.

How Big?

A typical balloon is about 55 feet across and 60 to 80 feet tall. They are categorized by how much air the envelope can contain. A common sizes is the AX-8, with an envelope volume of  90,000 cubic feet. This is the most widely flown model because it can be easily handled by a crew of three to four people. A typical envelope has about 1,200 yards of material and about 3 miles of thread.

How Many People?

The size and capacity of the envelope determines the lift of the balloon, and hence how many people can be flown safely in the balloon. Less obvious, other factors are equally important: ambient temperatures, altitude above sea level, and passenger weight. These factors combined determine how many people can fly safely on a given day.

How Heavy?

A typical RX-8/AX-8 system like our balloons weighs about 575 pounds: the envelope weighs about 225 pounds, and the basket, fuel, and on-board equipment add another 350 pounds.

How High?

A balloon can fly, with proper weather conditions, up to 12,500 feet above sea level before oxygen is required. However, most passengers enjoy lower altitude flights, where they can talk to people on the ground, do touch-and-go (or, for the adventurous, splash-and-dash) landings, and experience the terrain below from a distance where details can be observed.

Backup Systems

For safety, most modern day balloons have 2 completely independent burner systems. Even if both of the burners were to fail, the balloon itself acts as a giant parachute. In such a rare event, the balloon descends to earth at about the same rate as a parachute, approximately 9 to 10 miles per hour.

How Does All That Air Get In There?

For inflation, the balloon is spread out on the ground with the basket on its side, and while the mouth of the balloon is held open by crew members, a large fan is used to blow cold air into the envelope. Since the envelope is so light, the balloon can be almost entirely filled with air by the fan. Once the balloon is almost full of air, the pilot will ignite the burner and heat the air inside the envelope. Both basket and envelope rise into an upright position as the air is heated.

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A Short Course of Ballooning History

1776 An Englishman, Henry Cavendish, using a combination of sulfuric acid and iron, discovers hydrogen.

 1783 Jaques Charles launches The Globe, an unmanned hydrogen balloon, which traveled 15 miles and reached an altitude of 3000 feet. The balloon landed in Gonesse where the locals attacked the balloon with pitchforks, destroying it.

 September 19th, 1783 A sheep, a duck and a rooster become the first passengers in a hot air balloon. The Montgolfier brothers, Jaques Etienne and Joseph Michel, launched a balloon made of paper and cloth after Louis XVI had decreed that the first flight should be flown with animals. The balloon rose to about 6000 feet, and landed safely.

 November 21st, 1783 The first recorded manned flight in a hot air balloon takes place in Paris. Built from paper and silk by the Montgolfier brothers, this balloon was piloted on a 22 minute flight by Jean Franois Piltre de Rozier and the Marquis Franois-Laurent d'Arlandes. From the center of Paris they ascended 500 feet above the roof tops before eventually landing about 6 miles away in the vineyards. Local farmers were very suspicious of this fiery dragon descending from the sky. The pilots offered champagne to placate them and to celebrate the flight, a tradition carried on by balloonists to this day.

 December 1st, 1783 The first manned gas balloon is launched by Jaques Alexander Charles and Nicholas Louis Robert. Starting in Paris, the flight lasted 2 1/2 hours and covered a distance of 25 miles. Upon landing, Robert stepped out of the basket, which caused the balloon to rise again, this time to about 9000 feet. Charles later landed safely. Today, in France, gas balloons are known as Charliers and hot air balloons are known as Montgolfiers.

 January 19th, 1784 In Lyon, France, the only recorded flight by Joseph Montgolfier is made in a balloon that had a cubic capacity of over 700,000 cubic feet. This would equate to a passenger capacity of around 30 people! It was one of the largest balloons ever made. The flight only lasted 20 minutes due to a rip in the fabric.

 September 15th, 1784 An Italian, Vincenzo Lunardi, makes the first balloon flight in England. The 18,000 cubic foot balloon flew from the Artillery grounds at Moorfields and landed in Long Mead, near Ware. His passengers included a dog, a cat and a pigeon (in a cage).

 November 30th, 1784 Launching their balloon from Rhedarium Garden, London, another Frenchman, Jean-Pierre Blanchard and an American, John Jeffries, make their first flight. On January 7th, 1785 the same team of Blanchard and Jeffries became the first to fly across the English Channel.

 June 15th, 1785 The first casualties from ballooning occur when a hybrid gas/hot-air balloon piloted by Jean-Franois Piltre de Rozier and his passenger, one M. Romaine catches fire and explodes while attempting an English Channel crossing. Today, hybrid balloons (using a combination of gas and hot air lift) are known as "Roziers"

 January 9th, 1793 The first flight of a balloon in America occurs in Philadelphia from the Walnut Street Prison Yard and is piloted by Jean Pierre Blanchard. Blanchard had also flown the first ascents in Germany, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland.

 In the early 1800's American aeronauts, including Charles Durant, Thaddeus Lowe, John La Mountain, Rufus Wells and John Wise continue to design, construct and fly both gas and hot air balloons.

 1804 Jaques Garnerin celebrates Napoleon's coronation by launching an unmanned balloon, ablaze with lights from the city of Paris. Unfortunately, it crashed into a statue of Nero outside of Rome, which was considered a personal insult by Napoleon. During this same time frame, Joseph Gay-Lussac flew to about 20,000 feet and recorded scientific observations of the atmosphere.

 1861 Tethered gas balloons are used by both sides during the American Civil War for observation of troop movements. Balloons had been used for this purpose as early as 1794 in France.

 1870-71 Balloons are used to carry refugees and mail out of Paris during the siege of that city by Prusso-German forces. One hundred people escape, along with over 2 million letters.

 July, 1897 Swedish aeronaut Salomon Andree makes an attempt to reach the North Pole in a balloon named Eagle. A message sent by carrier pigeon on the third day was the only news. Thirty three years later, the remains of the crew were discovered by Norwegian explorers.

 1906 James Gordon Bennett, a New York newspaper owner, sponsors a silver trophy for a long distance international balloon race. The first race started in Paris, and was won by an American, Frank Lahm, who landed after 22 hours in Yorkshire, England. By the terms of the race, the winner's country was the host for the next year's race, which was held in St. Louis in 1907. Twenty six races were held between 1906 and 1938, in six different nations. The race was revived in 1979 and continues today as the premier gas balloon race in the world.

 1931 Auguste Piccard invents the airtight cabin, based on the bathysphere, enabling him and an assistant to ascend to 51,775 feet. In 1932 he flew to 53,152 feet to study cosmic rays.

 October 3, 1934 Jeannette Piccard, pilots a balloon with her husband Jean (Auguste's twin brother) aboard to 57,579 feet for cosmic ray studies and lands safely.

 November 11, 1935 A. W. Stephens and O. A. Anderson reach a height of over 74,000 feet in a huge (3.7 million cubic feet) helium balloon Explorer II. They launch from the "stratobowl" in South Dakota, later to be the scene of the first successful modern hot air balloon flight.

 1947 Don Piccard, son of Jean and Jeannette Piccard, used a military surplus Japanese gas balloon for what was probably the first post-war free balloon flight, ushering in the modern era of ballooning. Mr. Piccard made his first balloon flight in 1933.

 October 10, 1960, Ed Yost lifted off the ground in Bruning, Nebraska in a hot air balloon powered by a propane burner marking the beginning of the modern hot air balloon.

By 1978, the sport of ballooning had grown from a dozen balloons to about 500. Today,there are over a dozen manufacturers. The United States has over 8000 hot air balloons registered and over 5000 pilots. There are over 3000 balloons in Europe.

 With thanks to the Balloon Digest 1995, published by the Balloon Federation of America and to Ballooning (The Complete Guide to Riding the Winds) by Dick Wirth and Jerry Young 1980 Marshall Editions Ltd. London, and published in the United States by Random House Inc.