Things To Know About The Hot Air Balloon

As you already know, hot air balloons are used for rides that provide a unique experience. You’ll be airborne on a basket that’s carried by a huge balloon and kept afloat by heat. You should know that there are many festivals around the world that use hot air balloons to celebrate the occasion. Places like Arizona and Phoenix are likely the ones that really bring this equipment during the festivals. Of course, a lot of people get a hot air balloon ride. It’s a fact that there are many kinds of attractions in such places other than hot air balloons. However, you should know that riding one is something that will make you feel great. Being up in the air and getting a wonderful view of the land is something that can be provided by the hot air balloon. With the help of this article, you will be able to know more about the hot air balloons.

The first thing that you have to know about the hot air balloon is that it’s something that doesn’t really count as a good means of transport especially if you need to get to a specific location in the first place. This is because the hot air balloon doesn’t really have a steering mechanism. Also, its speed is solely determined by the speed of the wind. Stronger wind means faster travel for the hot air balloon.

It’s basically operated with the simple scientific fact that hot air can make the huge balloon float. While the scientific details can be quite interesting, you can just view the hot air balloon as something that’s able to float on the air with the use of heat emission. That’s basically how hot air balloons are used and the material for the balloon is sturdy and durable enough to withstand the elements especially the heat.

You should also be aware that a hot air balloon has main components. The first component will be the burner. This is the part responsible for producing heat under the balloon. The next one is the main balloon that’s large enough to be able to carry a large basket underneath it. That would also be the third component of the hot air balloon and it is where the passengers are carried.

The main fuel for the burner that’s used for the balloon is propane. It burns good and fast for the hot air balloon to float quickly and carry the weight under it. That’s also one of the reasons why propane is used on most camping grills.

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_balloon to read more about hot air balloons.

Safety Precautions To Remember When Having A Hot Air Balloon Ride

It can be a thrilling and once in a lifetime experience to ride hundreds of feet above ground. On the other hand, much like any other adventure sport, a ride in hot air balloon comes with fair share of risks. As a matter of fact, there have been several situations when the hot air balloons crashed and resulted to fatality of its riders. So, unless you’re so sure about the safety measures and full protection, you should not ride high up in the sky.

Here are some important things that you need to be mindful about to guarantee the safety of your ride.

Safety equipment

Each and every balloon must have basic safety equipment. Be sure that you gather enough info from reliable and well known sources like expert website and ballooning guides. As minimum, you have to check whether the balloon has parachutes, fire extinguisher and flint spark lighter onboard. The latter is what used to case the flame, which keeps the balloon floating and goes off in mid flight. What the pilot does is relight the flame and avoid crashing it. Fire extinguisher on the other hand is crucial for some obvious reasons.

You must look for a drop line as well. In some other countries, this inclusion is mandatory. A drop line is extremely useful when landing especially if the pilot can’t steer the balloon effective due to mild wind. Because there’s a risk that the balloon may get damage from the ground obstructions, the ground crew uses drop line to be dropped by pilot, which serves as a guide to land the balloon free from the obstructions.

Maintenance

A balloon that isn’t well maintained is never safe to ride. It is crucial to have regular maintenance to avoid unwanted incidents. The most susceptible part of a balloon is the fabric because even a small tear or rip on it can result to disaster during flight. Any such damage has to be repaired immediately.

Aside from that, before getting into a hot air balloon festival ride, be sure that you check the basket. It must be meticulously organized and at the same time, clean. A disorganized basket is a major indication of inefficient maintenance and management.

Be Vigilant

When riding a hot air balloon Arizona, alertness could be your savior. You have to be extra sensitive on objects when flying. Always watch out for poles, masts and electrical lines that may collide with the balloon. At times, the pilot may be focused on one thing and may not be paying much attention on the obstacles. Consider it as your personal responsibility to quickly alert the pilot when facing such situation.

To read more about this, go to http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4696557_hotair-balloon-work.html.

Keeping Your Hot Air Balloon Ride Safe

It can be a real thrill to ride a hot air balloon several hundreds of feet into the sky. Similar to any other adventure sport, however, this comes with its own share of hazards. You might have already heard about several instances wherein these balloons have crashed, causing injuries to passengers (and sometimes even death).

What this tells us is that we must be very careful about the precautionary measure we need to take before we go up on a ride in a hot air balloon Phoenix. We must make sure that we are fully protected. And here are some checks you will need to make before you go up into the sky:

1. Safety gear. It is important that the balloon you are riding has basic safety gear. You can check ballooning guides and websites for expert advice on what equipment a balloon must have. Make sure you only take the word of reliable sources.

Balloons must at least have a flint spark lighter onboard. It must also have parachutes, as well as fire extinguishers. The flint spark lighter is needed in case the flame goes off in the middle of your flight. Relighting the flame can prevent a crash.

The balloon must also have a drop line. Most places include this in the mandatory equipment for balloons. Drop lines are used during landing, especially when pilots are not able to effectively steer the craft due to the wind. These crafts are quite susceptible to damage due to obstructions that might be present on the ground. In this case, the drop line can be used to guide balloons away from obstructions on the ground. Generally, these are 30-meter long ropes that are rather sturdy.

2. Maintenance. Balloons that are well-maintained are most likely safe. This is why it is important that this kind of aircraft is regularly maintained. The fabric is by far the most vulnerable section of the balloon. Even the smallest tear or rip can already lead to terrible repercussions while on flight. Therefore, this kind of damage, no matter how small, must immediately be repaired.

The basket also needs to be checked. It must be meticulously clean and organized. The exterior portion of the basket must also be free from dirt and stains. This indicates that the operator makes it a point to clean the basket thoroughly after use. Balloons need to be thoroughly serviced and maintained after 100 hours of flight or at least once each year.

Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_air_balloon for more information.