Hot air ballooning

A balloon is a lighter-than-air vehicle that does not move 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 for as long as the wind blows.

In summer, as a rule, balloons are flown early in the morning (5:00 – 9:00 a.m.), before the thermals (vertical air currents) begin, and in the evening (6:00 – 9:00 p.m.), when the thermals calm down. In the fall – spring the morning flights start a little later (8:00 am) and the evening flights start a little earlier (4:00 pm).

Balloon flight lasts on average about an hour, although technically it may last 2-3 hours or more.
During the hour, the balloon flies an average of 10 to 20 kilometers.
The balloon may rise to a height of more than 10 kilometers, but at a height of 3 kilometers a person does not have enough oxygen. Therefore, balloons are usually flown at a low altitude.

Ballooning begins with the start of the balloon. The start of the balloon is attended by the pilot and his entire team, 4 people in total. The passengers are also included in this process, if, of course, they agree. For the passengers, the launch is no less impressive spectacle than the flight itself.
First, a suitable location for the balloon launch is chosen. It is best if it is a meadow of at least 50 x 50 meters. On the meadow (field) there should not be any obstacles: trees, poles, electrical lines. If the wind is stronger look for a place protected from the wind.

After choosing a place unload all the equipment of the balloon. Burners are attached to the basket, they are connected to the gas cylinders with special hoses. The pilot tests how the burners and the gas system work.
Then the dome is stretched. The dome is always stretched in the direction of the wind. The dome is connected to the basket and the burners with special carabiners.

Cold air is blown into the prepared dome with the help of a fan.
Powerful fan fills the dome with air for about 5 minutes.

When the dome is sufficiently inflated, the pilot, using the flames of the burners, begins to heat the air inside the dome. The heated air expands and rises upwards. The dome is thus inflated and begins to lift off the ground.
Prior to inflation, the balloon is tethered to the car. This is done so that the wind does not throw off the balloon completely unprepared. When the pilot makes sure that the balloon and passengers are properly prepared for flight, and when the air in the dome is heated to the desired temperature, the balloon begins to rise. The balloon is then unhooked from the vehicle and lifted off.
It takes 10-15 minutes to prepare the balloon for flight.