FAA-H-8083-11, Balloon Flying Handbook

As the air inside a balloon envelope is heated, itbecomes lighter than the outside air the envelope,causing the balloon to rise. The greater the heatdifferential between the air inside the envelope andthe air outside, the faster the balloon rises.top (refer to figures 1-2, 1-3, and 1-4). In a balloonwith a parachute top, partial opening of theparachute valve is the normal way to cool theballoon. Balloons with other types of deflationpanels may have a cooling vent in the side or thetop.Hot air is constantly being lost from the top of theenvelope by leaking through the fabric, seams, anddeflation port. Heat is also being lost by radiation.Only the best and newest fabrics are nearly airtight.Some fabrics become increasingly porous with ageand some colors radiate heat faster than others do.Under certain conditions, some dark-coloredenvelopes may gain heat from the sun. Tocompensate for heat loss, prolonged flight ispossible only if fuel is carried on board to makeheat.To change altitude, the internal temperature of theair in the envelope is raised to climb, or allowedto cool to descend. Cooling of the envelope is alsopossible by allowing hot air to escape through avent. This temporary opening closes and sealsautomatically when it is not in use.BASIC BALLOON TERMSBalloon terms vary because proprietary terms andforeign terms have entered the language ofballooning. However, consistency in terminologyis important because it makes it easier for the pilot,crew, and passengers to communicate with eachother. The most common terms are used in the textand in the generic illustrations (refer to figure 1-1)in this handbook. Terms and names used bymanufacturers are also included. The glossarycontains balloon and aeronautical terms.BALLOON COMPONENTSA hot air balloon consists of three maincomponents: envelope, heater system, and basket.EnvelopeThe envelope is the fabric portion of the ballooncontaining the hot air and is usually made of nylon.The deflation port is located at the top of theenvelope and allows for the controlled release ofhot air. It is covered by the deflation panelsometimes called a top cap, parachute top, or spring1-2FIGURE 1-1.—Basic Balloon Terms.Heater SystemThe heater system consists of one or more burnersthat burn propane, fuel tanks that store liquidpropane, and fuel lines that carry the propane fromthe tanks to the burners. The burners convert cold(or ambient) air into hot air, which in turn providesthe lift required for flight.BasketThe basket (usually made of wickerwork rattan)contains the fuel tanks, instruments, pilot, andpassengers.SUPPORT EQUIPMENTStandard support equipment for ballooning is a aninflation fan, transport/chase vehicle, and smallmiscellaneous items, such as igniters, drop lines,gloves, spare parts, and helmets.Inflation FanFans come in different styles and sizes. Yourfinances, style of inflation, and size of the balloonwill determine the best fan for you.

FIGURE 1-2.—Rip Panel Envelope Design.FIGURE 1-4.—Spring Top Envelope Design.Points to consider in selecting a fan are:FIGURE 1-3.—Parachute Top Envelope Design. Weight—Someone will have to lift the fan intoand out of the transport vehicle. Wheels do not helpwith the weight and are not helpful on soft ground.One person can carry a small fan, but a larger fanmay take two people. Safety—Fan blades today can be wood,aluminum, fiberglass, or composite, with woodbeing the most popular. Wood or aluminum bladesdesigned specifically for balloon fan use are best.The fan should have a cowling of fiberglass ormetal. A cage or grill alone is not sufficient tocontain rocks or pieces of blade. Transport—Space available in a pickup truck,the back of a van, or on a trailer may determine thesize of the fan. Cubic Feet Per Minute (CFM)—Fan bladedesign, duct design, and engine speed determinethe amount of air moved in a given time. Do notconfuse engine size with CFM. Larger engines donot necessarily push more air. Moving a highvolume of air is not necessarily the ultimate goalin fan performance. Some people prefer a slowercold inflation to allow for a thorough preflightinspection.1-3

Fan Maintenance—The inflation fan is themost dangerous piece of equipment in ballooning.A good fan requires little maintenance and shouldbe easy to maintain. Check the oil periodically andchange it once a year. Check hub bolts and grillscrews for tightness on a regular basis. Fuel—Gasoline smells, spills, pollutes, anddegrades in storage. Do not store gasoline in thefan due to fire hazard and the formation of varnish,which can clog fuel passages. Some gasoline fanscan be converted to propane. Propane is clean,stores in a sealed tank, and does not change withage.Transport/Chase VehicleBalloon ground transportation varies. The mostcommon vehicles are a van with the balloon carriedinside, a pickup truck with the balloon carried inthe bed, or a van or pickup truck with a small trailer(flatbed or covered).Some considerations in selecting a transport/chasevehicle are: Finances—If you are on a tight budget, a trailerhitch on the family sedan and a small flatbed trailermay work just fine. Convenience —For ease of handling theballoon, a small flatbed trailer that is low to theground makes the least lifting demands on you andyour crew. Number of Crew Members—If the numberof crew members is small, handling the balloonshould be made as easy as possible. If the numberof crew members is large, the size of the chasevehicle and other factors may be more important. Storage—Some balloonists, who do not haveroom for inside storage, and want security on theroad, choose an enclosed trailer. If you choose anenclosed trailer for the storage of your balloon,the trailer should be a light color to help reducethe heat inside. Fuel—A propane-powered vehicle gives theoption of fueling the balloon from the vehicle. Vehicle Suitability—Terrain, vehicle roadclearance, and number of chase crew members arefactors that will determine the suitability of atransport/chase vehicle.1-4Miscellaneous Items Igniters—It is recommended that you carry atleast two sources of ignition on board. The bestigniter is the plain and simple welding striker. Manynew balloons have built-in piezo ignition systems. Fueling Adapter—Pilots should carry theirown adapters to ensure that the adapters are cleanand not worn. Adapters that are dirty and worn maydamage a fuel system. Fire Extinguisher—Some balloons come witha small fire extinguisher affixed in the basket.However, they are usually too small to extinguishgrass fires or serious basket fires caused by apropane leak. Fumbling for a fire extinguisher mayjust use up the time required to manually extinguisha propane-leak fire before it becomes serious. Mostpropane fires can be extinguished by turning off avalve. First Aid Kit—Some pilots carry a small firstaid kit in their balloon, some in the chase vehicle.This is a matter of personal preference. A kit’scontents are often a topic at safety seminars andmay vary from region to region. Drop Line—A good drop line has a quickrelease provision, is easy to deploy, recover andstore, and is easy for a person on the ground tohandle. Webbing is a popular drop line materialbecause it is strong. Webbing is hard to roll up, buteasy to store. Half-inch nylon braid is strong andis easily rolled into a ball and put in a bag. Gloves—Gloves should be made of lightcolored smooth leather to reflect/deflect propane,and gauntlet-style to cover the wrist. Avoidsynthetic material which melts in heat and ventilatedgloves which let in flame or gas. Spares—The following are recommendedspares to carry in the chase vehicle or to have onhand. Quick pins and carabiners.Gloves and helmets.Envelope fabric.Spare tire for the trailer.Extra fuel for the fan.

Helmets—Some balloon manufacturerssuggest protective headgear be worn, especiallyin high-wind conditions. The intention is to protectheads from impact injury. Store helmets in a bagthat can be carried inside or outside the basket,depending on number of passengers and availableroom.CHOOSING A BALLOONMany companies manufacture balloons that aretype-certificated by the Federal AviationAdministration (FAA). A type-certificated balloonhas passed many tests, has been approved by theFAA, and conforms to the manufacturer’s TypeCertificate Data Sheet (TCDS). Balloon size israted by envelope volume. Following are the mostpopular sizes in use today.CategoryNo. PeopleCubic 37256,49677,682105,30211,860Balloon BrandsThe level of after-sales service available—locallyand from the manufacturer—is an importantcriterion in deciding which brand of balloon youshould purchase. Talk to local pilots and askquestions. How does the local balloon repairstation feel about different brands? Do they stockparts for only one brand? Does the manufacturership parts and fabric for balloons already in thefield, or do they reserve these parts and fabric fornew production? Will your balloon be groundedfor lack of materials while new balloons are beingbuilt?There are other criteria that could be considered,such as altitude at which the balloon will be flying,climate, and interchangeability of components, togive some examples. Before making your finaldecision, talk to people with different kinds ofballoons and who do different kinds of flying.Crewing for different balloons is an excellent wayto learn about the various kinds of balloons.Crewing on different balloons may help you decideon your first balloon purchase.Advantages of Balloon SizesDifferent balloon sizes offer different advantages.The size of the balloon purchased should bedetermined according to planned use(s). Mostpilots think smaller balloons are easier to handle,fly, and pack-up. Bigger balloons use less fuel,operate cooler, and last longer. If you live in higherelevations or hotter climates, or if you plan to carrypassengers, a larger balloon is preferred. If youplan to compete in balloon competitions or fly onlyfor sport, a smaller balloon is more practical.Selecting a New or Used BalloonShould you buy a new or used balloon? The costis the most obvious difference between new andused balloons. Some new pilots buy a used balloonto gain proficiency, and then purchase a newballoon when they have a better idea of what theywant or need.1-5

CHAPTER 2PREPARING FORFLIGHTThis chapter introduces elements the balloon pilotneeds to consider when preparing for a flight. Thesections include flight planning, preflightoperations, the use of a checklist, preflightinspection, the crew, and the chase.FLIGHT PLANNINGFlight planning starts long in advance of the nightbefore the launch. Title 14 of the Code of FederalRegulations (14 CFR) part 91, section 91.103states: “Each pilot in command shall, beforebeginning a flight, become familiar with allavailable information concerning that flight.” Thefollowing paragraphs outline various elements tobe considered in flight planning.WeatherA good balloonist pays constant attention to theweather. You should begin to study the weatherseveral days before the day of the flight. Weatherruns in cycles and understanding the cycles in yourarea will help you make successful flights.Weather background preparation Visit the nearest National Weather Service(NWS) office and FAA Automated Flight ServiceStation (AFSS). Check the library for books about weather inyour specific area. Talk with pilots of other types of aircraft; talkwith farmers, sailors, and fishermen, if appropriate. Watch local television weather shows,particularly the 5-day forecasts. Listen to local radio weather information. Read the weather section of the localnewspaper.Specific weather preparation On the evening before a flight call an AFSS foran outlook briefing (6 or more hours before theproposed launch—know what hours an AFSSmakes new information available). Devote particular attention to television orradio weather reports the night before a flight. Locate and use automated weather stations:NWS, Automatic Terminal Information Service(ATIS), Automatic Weather Observing System(AWOS), Harbor Masters, Highway Department,and State Parks. On the morning of a flight, phone an AFSS fora Standard Briefing. On the way to the launch site, develop weatherobservation points, such as a tree in someone’syard, smoke at a factory, or a flag at a cardealership. At the launch site, check a windsock ortetrahedron, talk with other pilots, or send up a pilotballoon (pibal). Observe smoke, flags, or otherballoons.Weather record keeping Compare predictions to actual weather. Compare past predictions to future predictionsand make your own prediction. Compare reports from nearby reporting stationsto actual weather at your launch site.Weather preflight briefingBefore each flight get a complete briefing fromweather sources in the local area. See appendix Afor sample weather briefing checklists that you canused as a guides to develop your own personalforms for recording weather briefings.2-1

EquipmentPack all equipment and have it ready the night beforea flight. Check to see that the balloon, fan, and vehicleare fueled; vehicle tires are inflated; requireddocumentation is in the balloon; and all necessarymaps, radios, and other equipment are loaded in yourchase vehicle.Launch SiteMost balloonists fly regularly from several knownlaunch sites. Unless you launch from a public airportor public balloon area, renew permission to use thesite(s) on a regular basis. Do not assume becauseanother pilot uses a certain launch area that anyonecan automatically use it.Purpose of FlightPreflight planning may vary slightly according to theflight’s purpose. If you are carrying passengers, youneed to tell them where and when to meet. If you areflying in an organi

FAA-H-8083-11 BALLOON FLYING HANDBOOK U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration. BALLOON FLYING HANDBOOK 2001 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Flight Standards Service. PREFACE iii This Balloon Flying Handbo