Aircraft are lighter than air. The first balloons

Fans of flying balloons there are all over the world, and they can offer hot air balloon travel, both for money and for volunteer help from their ground crew. If you have already tasted the delights of such flights and now want to pull the lines and light the burner yourself while traveling solo, then first you need to complete a training and certification course. Knowing how a hot air balloon works will give you an edge and help you decide if this hobby is right for you.

Steps

Part 1

Basic Basics

Let's figure out why the ball flies. Operating principle balloons very simple. As you heat air or any other gas, it becomes less dense. Just like an air bubble rising in an aquarium, hot air will rise above the denser, cooler air that surrounds it. Once the air in the balloon is heated to the required temperature, it will be able to lift up both the dome and the basket along with all its contents.

We study the design of the ball. Its structure is so simple that you can easily navigate it, then learning the necessary terminology will help you and your team communicate with each other:

We wear protective clothing. The pilot must wear safety glasses as he will be near the flames. Also, the pilot and crew must wear durable gloves, long sleeves and long pants made of fabric that does not contain nylon, polyester or other flammable materials.

• Everyone who is in the basket should keep in mind that the balloon may land in mud or difficult terrain, and therefore the clothes and shoes worn should be as comfortable as possible.

1. In order to go higher, you need to release more propane. To increase the flow of propane to the fire, you need to open the explosion valve further on the hose attached to the gas cylinder, which is usually located directly under the burner. The more you open the valve, the more hot air will rush into the balloon and the faster it will rise. .

   • Dropping ballast or any heavy object placed on the sides of the balloon will reduce its overall density and also cause it to rise higher. For obvious reasons, this technique is not recommended when flying over populated areas.

2. Learning how to stay at a stable altitude. Like any object warmer than its surroundings, a balloon cools over a long period of time, causing it to gradually descend. To stay at the same height, you must use one of the following techniques:

   To lower, open the parachute valve. Remember that the parachute flap is the flap at the top of the envelope. In its normal state, it is hermetically sealed and to open it slightly, you need to pull the red strap, which is called the break strap. This allows hot air to escape through the top. Until the ball drops to the desired level, keep the sling taut. Then, release it and the flap will close again.

   We control the direction of decline or rise. It is impossible to directly influence the direction of movement of the balloons. There are several air streams that are layered on top of each other. Raise or lower the ball, catching different cross-currents of air, and it will change the direction of movement. Pilots are often forced to change their route to adjust to the required air currents.

   Check the wind strength. Knowing when to cancel a flight is a very important factor in pilot training. Flying in strong winds is extremely dangerous and is prohibited. Beginners should follow a simple rule: fly either in the first hours after sunrise or a few hours before sunset, when the wind direction is more predictable and its speed is low.

   Check for life support supplies. The basket must contain at a minimum: a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, a topographic map, an aviation map, an altimeter (a device for measuring altitude) and a logbook in which the pilot records all the details of the flight. Check the propane tank sensor. You need to be sure they have enough fuel for the flight - typically flowing around 30 gallons (114 liters) per hour. For long flights you will also need a radio and possibly electronic navigation equipment.

   To take off, fill the balloon. Almost all hot air balloons require the help of several people to get off the ground. First, the burner must be secured to the frame of the basket and placed on the side of the envelope, which lies on the ground. Raise and straighten the mouth of the envelope, and for ten minutes use a powerful pump to pump in air, which is then heated by the burner. Typically, while the balloon is preparing to fly, the basket on the ground is held by people or tied to a car. When the passengers and the pilot are seated in the basket, the pilot releases a powerful stream of flame from the burner and the ball lifts off the ground.

   During the start you need to be extremely careful. The pilot must be very focused and watch how the envelope is inflated, and the ground crew controls all the lines. Constantly look around in all directions to spot trees or other objects that the balloon might hit during takeoff. As soon as you feel the first gust of wind during the ascent, immediately fix your gaze on the obstacle that is located along the take-off course and do not look away from it until the ball overcomes the obstacle. This helps you quickly detect course deviations and respond immediately to them, accelerating your takeoff.

   Study all weather phenomena in the flight area. To obtain a flight certificate, future hot air balloon pilots must take a meteorology test to understand how temperature, altitude and humidity interact and influence each other, and what different types of clouds can tell you about the state of the air. Of course, it will not be possible to list everything in this instruction, but a couple of examples can be given:

   • Significant changes in the direction of the wind as you ascend or descend are called gusts and require special attention because they can speed up or slow down your movement. If a strong gust of wind extinguishes the flame of your burner, light it again and heat the ball as quickly as possible to avoid falling.
   • If the balloon is slow to respond to your actions, or you notice that the air is wasted instead of propelling you upward, then you are in an “inversion” - a condition in which the higher you rise, the warmer the air around you becomes . You can compensate for inversion by increasing the amount of heated air or, on the contrary, decreasing it, depending on the direction of movement.

3. Check wind direction and speed and learn to read a weather map, using this data to get an overall picture of the speed and direction of air currents.

   To check local conditions, spit or squirt some shaving cream onto the edge of the basket. Learn to navigate. In order to plot the course and altitude of the flight, balloon pilots are trained to use topographic map

   and altimeter. Obtain an aviation map from the regional aviation authority and use it to navigate airline routes. A GPS module, a magnetic compass and a pair of binoculars are also useful, but these are not needed for short flights unless required by local hot air balloon regulations. Avoid turbulence and thermal areas.

If you experience turbulence or storm, clouds and other weather conditions indicate that it is about to appear, land immediately. When you feel any gyration or sudden lift, also land immediately before the rising "thermal" flow of warm air makes your ball uncontrollable. As soon as you reach the ground, immediately release the air, otherwise the basket will be dragged along its surface.

Age: 13 years

Place of study: MBOU Secondary School with. Raimanovo

City, region: Tuymazy city, region 102, Republic of Bashkortostan.

Head (Angela Fanilievna Gazizullina, Raimanovo village school.) Historical research work "

Balloons: science, sports, tourism, entertainment...

I think about him, about the blue sky. About pure and bright, without a single cloud. I admire it, the peaceful blue sky, it exudes calm and serenity.

I began my work with these words because man has always been drawn to the sky. Even in ancient times, man strived for it, but now man has achieved his goal.

Well, balloons became the first way to the sky. Relevance

This work is that the practical capabilities of balloons have long been widely used in various industries. For example, in tourism, sports and various attractions, as well as for military purposes and scientific meteorological observations. Goal of the work:

Comprehensively, in various aspects, consider the use of a balloon as the simplest aircraft, as well as make a miniature working model yourself.

This work has the following tasks:

1. Study literature on the topic.

2. Study the design features of the balloon.

The following methods were used in the work:

1. Retrospective study of literary sources.

2. Performing simple aerodynamic calculations.

3. Manufacturing and experimental launches of a miniature balloon with subsequent fine-tuning and adjustment.

Object of study steel balloons of various types and designs.

Subject of study - use of balloons in various industries.

ChapterI. Hot air balloon and aeronautics

I.1. History of the development of balloons

Hot air balloon flights were colorfully described by Jules Verne in his science fiction stories. Many of his proposals became reality, entered our lives and turned into everyday reality.

A balloon, or rather an aerostat, was the first aircraft that allowed a person to take off from the ground. The principle of operation of the balloon is based on Archimedes' law, and the lifting force of the aircraft is created due to the difference in the densities of the air and gas filling the shell. Lighter and less dense gas tends upward to a region of equal densities, dragging the entire aircraft with it.

The word "aerostat" is made up of the Greek words "aero" and "statos", meaning "air" and "stationary". This term is used as an official scientific, technical and professional term. In the Russian language, the phrase “balloon” is firmly rooted, which also has a right to exist. However, the name “balloon” also belongs to a rubber toy, a descendant of an ancient bubble, sometimes filled with ordinary air that has no lifting force. Therefore, in relation to an aircraft, the most appropriate word is “balloon”.

According to the technical solution, balloons are divided into two main types - gas-filled and thermal.

Gas-filled balloons were invented by the French professor Jacques-Alexandre-César Charles. Charles's balloon made its first unmanned flight on August 28, 1783. The first manned free flight in a gas-filled balloon took place on December 1, 1783, the pilots were Professor Charles himself and mechanic Robert. In honor of the inventor, gas-filled balloons were called charliers for some time. The shell of a gas-filled balloon was filled with hydrogen, sometimes with cheaper methane. Helium is now used for this type of balloon.

The hot air balloon is designed differently, the inventors of which are the French manufacturers brothers Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier. These balloons are called hot air balloons in honor of their inventors. Hot air balloons have a shell filled with hot air or a steam-air mixture. To maintain a high air temperature inside the shell, hot air balloons are equipped with burners, most often running on natural gas.

Fascinated by natural sciences, the Montgolfier brothers launched the first unmanned hot air balloon into the sky on June 5, 1783. On September 19 of the same year, they lifted animals in a hot air balloon. A ram, a duck and a rooster rose to a height of about half a kilometer. The flight was successful, the possibility of a person’s safe stay in the sky was proven. The first person to fly in a hot air balloon was Jean Francos. This happened on October 15, 1783 and marked the beginning of the era of aeronautics.

Preparing for a manned flight required the Montgolfier brothers to equip their balloon with a firebox. While the experiments were underway, Etienne Montgolfier and the young physicist Pilatre de Rozier carried out ascents in a tethered hot air balloon. On November 21, 1783, the first free manned flight of a balloon took place. On board were Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes. The pilots adjusted the air temperature in the shell by throwing straw into the firebox. The flight lasted about twenty minutes and went well. Thus, priority in the invention of a manned balloon belongs to the brothers Etienne and Joseph Montgolfier.

The design of a hot air balloon has changed little from its invention to the present day. A balloon is almost always spherical or pear-shaped. The balloon's shell is a huge fabric bag covered with rubber, which ensures elasticity and airtightness. Until the mid-19th century, balloons were not controllable. Having risen into the air, the ball simply drifted with the wind. The hot air cooled, seeped through the shell, and the ball lost altitude. The flight altitude was adjusted by dumping ballast (sandbags) loaded into the gondola before the flight or by releasing air through a valve. Attempts were made to construct adjustable sails, but this was not successful.

During the Franco-Prussian conflict in 1870-71. 65 balloons were used to transport passengers and cargo from besieged Paris. In 1875, attempts were made to cross the English Channel in a balloon. However, this event was a dubious success. The pilots were forced to throw all equipment, gear and even clothing out of the gondola. At the beginning of the 20th century, balloons began to be used for scientific purposes in studying the stratosphere, and in 1901 the first high-altitude ascent was made.

I.2. Applications of balloons

Modern balloons are balloons that rise upward thanks to heated air. Their shell is made of synthetic material with a special coating that provides an airtight effect. The balloon is also equipped with a block of burners that operate on propane and butane. In addition, the balloon is equipped with barometric instruments, as well as a fan to pre-enter the shell of cold air.

Throughout their existence, balloons have been and are still used for various military and scientific purposes, for sports, tourism and entertainment.

• Tethered balls for military purposes are divided into serf and field; Both differ only in size and serve to inspect the disposition of friendly and enemy troops, their disposition and movements. Sometimes they serve to correct artillery fire. Such balloons are equipped with telephones, the conductors of which are in communication with the headquarters of the main commanders. The tethering ropes are attached to the ball using a trapezoid, as can be seen in the drawing, which determines the vertical position of the basket at any inclination of the ball and prevents rotation of the basket.
• Tethered balloons for meteorological and photographic purposes are being introduced into Lately in different countries and serve meteorologists as high points for scientific observations. These balloons have a small capacity and only lift meteorological recording instruments.
• Tethered balloons for lifting the public have recently served as an indispensable accessory to any large exhibition and are usually made of a significant volume, at least 8000 cubic meters. m. Today, ballooning is a unique and profitable branch of the enterprise system and a unique method of attraction that attracts the attention of everyone without exception. Ballooning is an elite entertainment for wealthy tourists. Since this business usually has a purely commercial basis, often entrepreneurs, in order to reduce the cost of their enterprise, build balls from materials that are not very High Quality, which is why they lift the public only in exceptionally good weather, fearing for the integrity of their balloon and especially for the expensive gas (usually hydrogen). Almost all exhibition balloons ended up bursting. That is why exhibition balloons should not be allowed to be used for more than six months, including keeping them filled. A balloon that has served this period no longer represents a guarantee of safety.
• Glowing signal balls are small charliers made of transparent light material. Such a ball is designed to lift a two-core electrical cable and several incandescent lamps. At the bottom there is a dynamo with a motor or a battery of galvanic cells or electric batteries used to power the lamps; There is also a special switch similar to a Morse telegraph key for closing and opening the current and sending signals. The lamps are hung either inside the ball, then the whole ball glows, or suspended under the ball. Sometimes the lights of the lamps are made multi-colored. The lifting height usually does not exceed 200 m.
• Test balloons are small balls, no more than one meter in capacity, usually made of varnished paper, filled with gas. They are used to determine the direction of the wind and are launched before flight. They are usually made in color and supplied with paper ribbons. For meteorological purposes, a black ribbon of a certain length with marked transverse, significantly widened ends is tied to such a ball. Knowing the length of the tape, they judge the distance of the balloon, measure at the same time the angles made with the horizon using a theodolite and the direction of the compass, and easily determine the direction and speed of air currents at different altitudes.
• Aeronautics how the sport began to develop at the end of the 19th century. Balloon designs have improved. Gradually, they began to set records for flight range and altitude. The development of other flying technology left balloons as the privilege of athletes

ChapterII.Balloon designII.1. Calculations for a miniature ball model The widespread use of light plastic bags, gas lighters and stearin candles in everyday life allows us to hope for the possibility of a balloon flight at home. Even a secondary school student who has begun to study the conditions of floating bodies in a physics course can theoretically substantiate such a possibility. As already noted in the first chapter, the principle of operation of the balloon is based on Archimedes' law. Measurements have shown that the specific lifting force µ of hot air at 100 °C is 0.278 kg/m. This means that at an atmospheric temperature of 0 °C, one cubic meter of air heated to 100 °C is capable of lifting a load weighing 278 g.

Let us denote the volume of the ball V , density relative to the cold air of the room P1 and heated air in the shell of the ball P2. The Archimedes force acting on the ball is equal to the weight of the cold air displaced by the ball f 1 = P 1 gV, and the force of gravity acting on the heated air in the ball is equal to f 2 = P 2 gV. Then the lifting force of the ball is

f=f 1 -f 2 =(P 1 -P 2)gV (1)

We have at our disposal a thin plastic bag measuring 30x40 cm. If such a bag is filled with air, you will get a body that can approximately be replaced by a parallelepiped with a base of 15x15 cm and a height of about 40 cm. The volume of the inflated bag is approximately equal to 0.009 cubic meters, or 9 liters. According to the tabular data, the density of dry air at normal pressure and temperature 20 °C is 1.205 kg/m, and at 100 °C it is 0.946 kg/m. Substituting these values ​​into formula (1), we find that the lifting force of the designed balloon can reach a value of 2.28 10 N. This means that the balloon will be able to lift a load (including its shell) weighing 0.0233 kg ( '23)

You can check the calculation performed if you use the above value of the specific lifting force of hot air: a ball with a volume of 9 liters, the air in which is heated to 100°C, can lift a load with a mass of m = µV = 0.0255 kg. This is in good agreement with the value obtained above, especially considering that our calculation was carried out for a temperature difference of 80°C rather than 100°C.

So, in order for a balloon to fly upward, the force of gravity acting on the shell of the balloon and its other elements must be less than the force of Archimedes.

A hot air balloon flies because the density of the heated air inside the ball is less than the cold air outside.

To understand why the density of air depends on its temperature, you need to remember the gas laws.

According to Gay-Lussac's law, the volume V of a given mass m of gas at constant pressure is directly proportional to its absolute temperature T:

It follows that the gas density P=m/V at constant pressure is inversely proportional to the absolute temperature: PT = const. Then for two different temperatures T 1 and T 2 the ratio of the corresponding densities P 1 and P 2 is equal to:

P 1 /P 2 = T 2 /T 1 (3)

The change in gas density can be written as:

∆P = P 1 -P 2 = P 1 (1-P 2 /P 1)

Taking into account relation (3), we find that the change in gas density when heated from temperature T 1 to T 2 = T 1 + ∆T is

∆P = P 1 (1-T 1 /T 2) = P 1 *∆T/T 2 (4)

Therefore, air with volume V , heated to a temperature T 2, at an ambient temperature T 1 according to Archimedes' law (1) is able to lift a load of mass

m= ∆P*V = P 1 *∆T/T 2 *V (5)

Substitution of values ​​P 1 =1.205 kg/m, V into the last formula = 0.009m 3 T 2 =373 K and ∆T = 80 K gives the value m = 0.0233 kg, which is quite consistent with the estimates obtained above.

A balloon, unlike, for example, an airship, is open at the bottom. This hole is absolutely necessary, otherwise at high altitudes, where the external air pressure is low, the internal pressure will rupture the shell of the ball.

In the case of an airship, the lifting force of Archimedes is obviously due to the difference in pressure on its upper and lower surfaces. What gives rise to the lifting force of a balloon?

It is not difficult to understand that in a balloon or aerostat the lifting force arises due to the difference in pressure from the outside and inside on the same parts of its shell. Near the lower opening of the balloon, this pressure difference is zero, since the internal volume of the balloon communicates freely with the atmosphere. In the upper part of the shell, the specified pressure difference reaches a maximum [Appendix 1].

Balloons in tourism and entertainment, they are used in different ways, some to see different architectural structures from the sky, some just to have fun, to gain emotions.

Balloons are great.

Balloons website

The hot air balloon has neither motors nor the usual rudder. From the entire technological arsenal - only burners, sandbags and a special valve in the upper part of the dome for air etching. How to control this aircraft?

From the history of aeronautics

The birth of hot air balloons was the first real embodiment of mankind's age-old dream of conquering the fifth ocean. In 1306, the French missionary Bassu first described how, while in China, he witnessed the flight of a hot air balloon during the accession of Emperor Pho Kien to the throne.

However, the birthplace of aeronautics is considered to be the French town of Annoney, where on June 5, 1783, the brothers Etienne and Joseph Montgolfier lifted into the sky a spherical balloon they created, filled with heated air.

The flight of the aircraft, weighing about 155 kg and with a diameter of 3.5 meters, lasted only 10 minutes. During this time, he covered about a kilometer at a 300-meter altitude, which was an outstanding event for its time. Later, hot air balloons began to be called hot air balloons in honor of their creators.

The Montgolfier brothers' balloon consisted of a linen shell covered with paper. To fill it with hot air, a fire was lit from finely chopped straw. And 3 months later, an addition was made to the design of the aircraft in the form of a special basket for passengers.

Modern balloons are undoubtedly more advanced, but they are made according to almost the same design. To make the spherical shell of the ball, a special thin and durable polyester material is used. The air heating system has changed. The fire function is performed by an adjustable propane gas burner installed in a basket directly under the dome.

Despite their greater dependence on the wind, modern hot air balloons are controllable. The flight altitude is adjusted by an outlet at the top of the canopy using a rip cord. A side valve is provided to change the course. There are also more complex designs, where another one filled with helium can be placed inside the main dome.

How to control a hot air balloon with a basket

Flying a balloon is an activity that requires serious preparation and considerable financial costs. Suffice it to say that a balloon pilot training course today costs about 200 thousand rubles. The price of the balloon itself (depending on the model) is comparable to the price of a passenger car.

Preparation

The flight is preceded by careful preparation. First of all, it is necessary to study the weather conditions - cloudiness, visibility and wind speed. In accordance with the received data, the flight route is planned. Due to unforeseen changes in weather conditions, a route is chosen where there are enough places along the way for safe landings.

Takeoff

It takes the entire crew to make the balloon take off. The best option The starting place is a flat area 50 x 50 meters in an open field, where there are no foreign objects nearby - poles, trees, power lines.

Then the assembly of the ball begins: burners are attached to the basket, which are connected by special hoses to gas cylinders. After a test run of the burner, the crew begins to stretch the canopy (necessarily in the direction of the wind). Next, the stretched canopy is fastened to the basket with special carabiners.

The next step is to fill the dome with cold air using a fan, after which the burner starts to heat the air. The heated air lifts the dome from the ground, and the crew (with passengers) takes their places. To prevent the ball from flying away, it is first tied to the car.

Flight

Despite the lack of a motor and wings, the balloon is controllable, which requires certain skills. The main controls are the burners and the exhaust valve. To gain altitude, the burner is turned on and the air is additionally heated, and to decrease, the valve opens slightly. Horizontal flight occurs due to a tailwind. This is where the pilot's skill comes into play. So, to fly faster, it can increase its flight altitude, where the wind speed is stronger.

Descent

The landing site is selected in advance. It must be large and safe. The ideal option is a football field next to the highway. The crew radios to the ground about the landing site. Next, the pilot releases air from the canopy using a valve. The ball smoothly falls to the ground.

general information

A balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft that moves not with the help of motors, but by heating the air in the dome. A balloon always flies in the direction of the wind, that is, where the wind blows, and as long as the wind blows.
In summer, as a rule, people fly in hot air balloons early in the morning (5:00 – 9:00 am), before thermals (vertical air currents) begin, and in the evening (6:00 – 9:00 pm), when thermals calm down. In autumn - spring, morning flights start a little later (8:00 am), and evening flights start a little earlier (at 16:00).
A balloon flight lasts about an hour on average, although from a technical point of view it can last 2-3 hours or more.
In an hour, a hot air balloon flies an average of 10–20 kilometers.
A balloon can rise to a height of more than 10 km, but at an altitude of 3 km a person no longer has enough oxygen. Therefore, balloons usually fly low.

Preparing for the flight

Flying a hot air balloon begins with careful preparation for the flight. First, the pilot learns meteorological information. For a hot air balloon flight, the most important three meteorological parameters are:

Cloud cover – so that there are no storms or cumulus clouds,
visibility – at least 5 km,
wind speed – no more than 5 m/sec.

Having a flight goal, knowing the direction and speed of the wind, the pilot plans the flight path. Since the meteorological situation is constantly changing, it is impossible to accurately plan the flight or landing location. Therefore, when choosing a launch site, the pilot must always evaluate whether there are enough sites in the direction of flight for a safe landing of the balloon.
If a flight over a city is planned, the balloon pilot must have a self-governing permit, and before the flight itself, the pilot must present his flight plan to Flight Control.
Flights over the city are also specific in that air traffic control services are provided here. Therefore, the pilot must carefully prepare his charts and coordinate flight details with flight control.

Hot air balloon taking off

A hot air balloon flight begins with the launch of the balloon. The pilot and his entire crew, 4 people in total, take part in the launch of the balloon. Passengers are also included in this process, if, of course, they agree. For passengers, the launch is no less impressive a spectacle than the flight itself.
Firstly, select appropriate place to launch the balloon. It is best if it is a meadow measuring at least 50 x 50 meters. There should be no obstacles in the meadow (field): trees, poles, electric lines. In stronger winds, look for a place protected from the wind.

After selecting a location, all balloon equipment is unloaded. The burners are attached to the basket and connected to the gas cylinders using special hoses. The pilot tests how the burners and gas supply system work.
After which the dome is stretched. The canopy always expands in the direction of the wind. The dome is connected to the basket and burners using special carabiners.

Cold air is introduced into the prepared dome using a fan.
A powerful fan fills the dome with air in about 5 minutes.

When the dome is sufficiently inflated, the pilot, using the flames of the burners, begins to heat the air in the dome. Heated air expands and rises. Thus, the dome inflates and begins to rise from the ground.
Before inflating, the balloon is tied to the car. This is done to prevent the wind from completely throwing away the unprepared balloon. When the pilot is satisfied that the balloon and passengers are properly prepared for flight, and when the air in the canopy is heated to the required temperature, the balloon begins to rise. After which the balloon is unhooked from the car and rises.
Preparing the balloon for flight takes 10-15 minutes.

Piloting a hot air balloon

Although piloting a hot air balloon seems very simple at first glance, it actually requires special knowledge and skill of the pilot.

Since the balloon has neither a motor nor wings, during flight the balloon is controlled by two main devices: the burners and the valve. When the air is heated, the ball rises, and when the valve is opened, the ball begins to descend. Therefore, the height of the balloon is adjusted by changing the temperature inside the dome.
Many people have a question: if the pilot can only adjust the flight altitude, then how does the ball fly to the desired location?

The answer is hidden here: hot air balloon flight uses atmospheric conditions. The direction and strength of the wind changes at different altitudes, so pilots can direct the ball's flight in one direction or another when changing the vertical position of the ball. Wind strength tends to be strong in the higher layers of the atmosphere, so pilots have some control over their flight speed.

Although even the most experienced pilots cannot completely control the direction of the balloon's flight. Typically, wind conditions provide the pilot with little choice. In rare cases, you can return to the starting point on the ball. Therefore, piloting a hot air balloon is usually an improvisation based on existing weather conditions.
For this reason, the balloon is always accompanied by a ground crew, who later help the balloon descend and collect equipment and passengers.

Landing

Even during the flight, the pilot pre-plans where he will descend. The team on the ground is informed about this by telephone or radio.

As a rule, no special requirements apply to the landing site. It is important that it is large enough for the balloon to land safely and that the descending balloon does not cause damage to the owners of the land. If the wind is not strong, the balloon can descend in a regular stadium. If the wind is stronger, the pilot looks for a larger area.
Experienced pilots are able to land the balloon in such a way that contact with the ground is almost not felt. The team on the ground also helps to land the ball. However, if there is a strong wind, the landing of the balloon may be “hard”. Even before the flight, the pilot instructs passengers on how to behave during a “hard” landing. For many passengers, this landing is the most fun part of the flight.

As a rule, pilots try to descend close to the road so that the accompanying vehicle can approach. However, sometimes a hot air balloon descends on a large meadow. In this case, the team working on the ground and assistants help move the ball to a better place.

After the pilot opens the canopy valve, air escapes from the canopy. The ball bends and lies on the ground. On the ground, the working team releases the air completely and packs the balloon.
The packaging process lasts approximately 20 minutes.

Is it true that the Wright brothers were the first to conquer aeronautics?

Almost 100 years before the birth of the Wright brothers, hot air balloons regularly took to the skies. Here are 10 facts about aeronautics that will surprise you.

The first balloon passengers were a sheep, a rooster and a duck.

The first balloon with a flying basket took to the skies in 1783. This happened in Versailles, in the presence of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The passengers of this aircraft were a rooster, a duck and a sheep. Sheep, as a human-like creature, were chosen to test the effects of altitude on the body, and birds (flying and flightless) were made members of the control group. This ball rose to a height of 500 meters, flew about 4 kilometers and landed successfully. All passengers remained unharmed.

The first people to take to the skies could have been Bastille prisoners

When the time came to conduct test flights with human participation, Louis XVI, not risking taking responsibility for the lives of his subjects, decided to send condemned criminals on flight. If the flight was successful, they were promised a pardon. However, despite the king’s decision, the scientist Jean-François Pilatre Des Roziers and the aristocrat Marquis François Laurent D’Arlandes went on the flight. These brave souls spent about 20 minutes in the sky on November 21, 1783.

The tradition of opening champagne after a flight was created for the peace of mind of farmers

After the first successful flight, hot air balloons began to be frequently used by aristocrats. However, to the peasants they resembled fire-breathing dragons, which caused real horror. To appease and calm people, aristocrats began to take champagne with them and open it at the landing site of the aircraft.

There is a version that the drawings on the Nazca plateau were created using balloons

In the 1970s, Jim Woodman theorized that ancient Peruvians created giant paintings on the Nazca plateau using a balloon and basket to fly around. As evidence, he cites drawings on ancient ceramics, which, in his opinion, depict flights in a hot air balloon, as well as pieces of matter that may be fragments of the balloon’s shell. The scientist even made his own aircraft using technologies that were available to the ancient Peruvians. This theory has been discredited, but a number of scientists continue to believe in its accuracy.

One day there was an aeronautical duel

In 1808, two Frenchmen, seeking the favor of the opera diva Mademoiselle Trivelite, took off in a hot air balloon over Paris for a duel. A crowd gathered below: people decided that a balloon race was being held. However, the duelists pulled out their muskets and pointed them towards each other. As a result, after the shots, one ball was punctured. During the fall, it crashed into a nearby building, killing the pilot. The second duelist descended unharmed and, according to rumors, received the heart of the fatal diva.

Balloons were used for military reconnaissance purposes

During the French Revolution, at the Battle of Fleurus (1794), the Entreprenant balloon was used to obtain information about the enemy's position. The balloon with the flying basket was in flight for 8 hours (it was tethered the entire time). The aeronaut recorded changes in the positions of the Austrian troops and sent the data down to the ground. It is not known whether because of this or not, but the French won the battle.

The US had aeronautical corps during the Civil War.

The Aeronautical Corps was founded by Abraham Lincoln. It consisted of 7 balloons, and also had 12 gas generators and a barge, which was used as an aircraft carrier. Aeronautical vehicles were used to monitor the movement of enemy troops, covering an area of ​​15 km. The Confederates responded by making their own silk ball, but it was captured by the Union army. The corps was disbanded in 1863, realizing that such an object was an excellent target for the enemy.

Balloons were used during carnival performances

Between 1800 and 1900 During fairs you could often see shows with balloons. The stuntman with a parachute sat in the basket, the balloon was filled with hot smoke from the fire and released upward. He quickly climbed up, and in highest point the stuntman jumped out and went down to the ground.

There was a hot air balloon with a glass bottom

Christian Braun presented a model with a glass bottom at the international aeronautics fiesta. According to press materials, the test flight turned out to be very scary, so the aircraft returned to the ground with “passengers writhing and screaming in fear.”

A hot air balloon can fly in winter

Many people are surprised that the cold season is suitable for hot air balloon flights. In fact, at this time the weather is even more favorable than in summer. Cold air in the atmosphere allows the balloon filled with hot air to rise faster into the sky, as well as increase the number of passengers. In addition, in winter the air is more stable, which makes it possible to fly during the entire daylight hours.