Components of Hot Air Balloons

The Montgolfier brothers of France invented the first hot air balloons in 1783. You will be interested to know that the very first hot air balloon flight was taken by a chicken, duck and sheep -- and when they survived the flight, the Montgolfier brothers knew they had a winner! Two months later, the first human beings took a hot air balloon flight.

Hot air balloons have remained almost the same since the 1700's. They're still made out of three distinct parts: The burner, the basket, and the envelope. Let's examine these three components:

== Travel Tips == About business travel... Sometimes for instance, baggage goes missing; that is an unfortunate fact of travel and whilst it is distressing enough on a family holiday, on a business trip it can be disastrous. An easy remedy to this is to pack as much as possible that you absolutely must have for you meeting, in your hand luggage.

The Burner: The burner supplies the balloon with hot air so that it can gain altitude. This burner utilizes propane gas kept in cylinders. There is a thin pipe that carries propane to the pilot light, and a thick one that takes propane to a special high-pressure valve. When the pilot opens this valve, it allows the balloon to descend.

The Basket: The basket is made from wicker which is the same material used for patio furniture. Wicker is not a material but the name of a craft that weaves willow branches together to create a basketlike pattern. Wicker is extremely flexible, stable, durable, and is able to withstand the impact of landing. This will absorb some of the shock so passengers are kept as comfortable as possible.

The Envelope: The envelope, an important part of a hot air balloon, is the large, inflated portion of nylon that comes in bright rainbow colors and patterns. The nylon that the envelope is made from is durable and fireproof, so it is unlikely that the flame used to power the balloon would ignite the envelope.

The design of a hot air balloon is fairly simple. Nevertheless, the pilot must have a very good grasp on weather, wind, and how to pilot a balloon. A balloon can only be controlled vertically, so the pilot must understand how to use different wind directions at different altitudes to carry the balloon in the proper horizontal direction.

== Travel Tips == The obvious consequence of booking your vacations online is that travel agents are used less and less. This gradual turn to travel websites has come about because more discounts can be found and you can book the vacation at any time of the day. Even though I will probably save a few dollars by using the internet, I continue to book my vacations face to face with a travel agent but I do admit to some serious searching on the internet to learn more about where I am going. It is actually much easier to go to your travel agent armed with all the information including costs as it can make it much easier to find what you are looking for.

Like people, hot air balloons come in different sizes. Some can hold anywhere from two people to twenty, depending on the size of the basket and envelope. If taking a hot air balloon ride is something you would like to do, the first step is to find a qualified hot air balloon ride provider. With ballooning a quite popular hobby these days, that shouldn't be difficult! Simply check your local Yellow Pages or the Internet to find companies in your area that offer hot air balloon rides to suit a variety of tastes and needs. As long as you make sure the company you choose has been in business for a while and has all the necessary credentials, you're all set for a safe and exciting hot air balloon flight!

Copyright 2006 Lawrence J. - All Rights Reserved

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