HOT AIR BALLOONING

Hot air ballooning is the activity of flying hot air balloons. Attractive aspects
of ballooning include the exceptional quiet (except when the propane burners are
firing), the lack of a feeling of movement, and the bird's-eye view. Since the balloon
moves with the wind, the passengers feel
absolutely no wind, except for brief periods
during the flight when the balloon climbs or
descends into air currents of different direction
or speed.
The direction of flight depends on the
wind, but the altitude of the balloon can be
controlled by changing the temperature of the
air inside the envelope. The pilot may open
one or more burner blast valves to increase
the temperature inside the envelope, thereby
increasing lift, and thus ascend or slow or stop
a descent. The pilot may also open a vent, if
the envelope is so equipped, to let hot air
escape, decreasing the temperature inside the
envelope, thereby decreasing lift, and thus
descend or slow or stop an ascent. Unless the
pilot intervenes, the air inside the envelope
will slowly cool, by seepage or by contact with cooler outside air, and slowly provide
less lift.
The ability to fly hot air balloons in the winter is limited mostly by the ability
of the participants to withstand the cold. The balloons themselves fly well in cold air.
Because the temperature difference between inside and outside the balloon, not the
absolute inside temperature, determines the lift it develops, a much lower internal
temperature is sufficient to fly in cold weather.
However, if the liquid propane in the fuel tanks is too cold (0C/32F or less) it
does not generate sufficient vapor pressure to adequately feed the burner(s). This
can be overcome by charging the fuel tanks with inert gas such as nitrogen[10] or by
warming them, with electric heat tapes for example, and insulating them against
the cold.[11]
Along with the champagne, a popular toast among balloonists is: "soft winds
and gentle landings."
Many balloonists recite the Balloonist's Blessing (Anon, known as 'The
Balloonists Prayer') with the champagne toast:
The winds have welcomed you with softness
The sun has blessed you with its warm hands
You have flown so high and so well
That God has joined you in your laughter
and set you gently back into the loving arms of mother earth.