Baskets.
Hot Air Balloon Baskets are where the passengers, pilot, fuel tanks etc stand when the balloon is in flight and hangs from the bottom of the balloon envelope.
Photo courtesy of Lindstrand Balloons
The baskets come in all sizes, and are normally square or oblong.
Photo courtesy of Lindstrand Balloons
Most baskets are woven from a combination of Somerset Willow and top quality Kooboo, Palambang and Tahitian cane. Why? Because balloon baskets have a hard life and these traditional materials have shown themselves to outlast more modern alternatives such as aluminium and composite plastics.
In smaller baskets it is the norm for passengers to be in the same compartment as the pilot and fuel tanks.
Photo courtesy of Lindstrand Balloons
Larger baskets, like the one above, are divided up. This allows the pilot and fuel tanks to remain separate to the passengers and therefore allows a safer and more comfortable ride for the passenger as well as evening out the weight.
Steel ropes are worked into the wicker and completely wrap around the underneath of the basket and back up to the top where they are attached to the burner frame.
The rope handles, visible on the above photo, are simply to allow the basket to be moved whilst on the trailer or ground etc.
In 2006 Cameron Balloons certified their biggest ever basket, capable of holding 32 passengers and a pilot.
Photo courtesy of Cameron Balloons
20 feet long and 5 feet wide this basket weights in at nearly a ton.
Thanks to Lindstrand Balloons and Cameron Balloons for allowing the use of their photos.
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Fuel Tanks
Photo courtesy of Lindstrand Balloons
A complete range of fuel cylinders are available to suit all needs. All Lindstrand cylinders are constructed from either high grade stainless steel or lightweight titanium and are equipped with a fuel contents gauge.
You have the choice of Rego or Tema valve connections with optional fast shut-off valves.
Fuel cylinders come in various sizes but can also be made to order.
Burners
Photo courtesy of Lindstrand Balloons
Modern hot air balloons heat the air by burning propane, the same substance commonly used in outdoor cooking grills (Barbeques!).
The propane is stored in compressed liquid form, in lightweight cylinders positioned in the balloon basket.
The intake hose runs down to the bottom of the cylinder, so it can draw liquid out.
Photo courtesy of Lindstrand balloons
Because the propane is highly compressed in the cylinders, it flows quickly through the hoses to the heating coils.
The heating coil is simply a length of steel tubing arranged in a coil around the burner.
When the pilot starts up the burner, the propane flows out in liquid form and is ignited by a pilot light.
As the flame burns, it heats up the metal in the surrounding tubing.
When the tubing becomes hot, it heats the propane flowing through it. This changes the propane from a liquid to a gas, before it is ignited. The gas makes for a more powerful flame and more efficient consumption.
Burners come in single, twin, triple and quad.
Thanks to Lindstrand Balloons for allowing the use of their photos.
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Crew.
Interested in crewing for a balloon team, then read on.
How do I get into ballooning?
All ages seem to love hot air balloons.
Kids (and indeed whole families) will follow a balloon as it floats overhead,
hoping that it is going to land.
The easiest way to get into ballooning is to "Crew" for a local pilot or team.
Most private balloon pilots welcome new crew, although mainly voluntary work it is a good way to learn more and possibly make a dream come true.
To find a local pilot/team near you,
visit the British Balloon and Airship Club website (see Links).
This will also give details of your local ballooning clubs.
What does a crew member do?
Behind all good pilots is a good crew.
Once on the launch site, crew help to unload and set up the balloon ready for take off.
This is a good way of finding out more about the different parts of the balloon, what they do and why they are needed.
Once the pilot has taken off the crew then pack away things like the inflation fan and other items which are used in the take off procedure.
Then the task begins of following the balloon and keeping in contact with the pilot, normally by radio communication. Once the balloon has landed the crew will contact the land owner and request permission to enter their land and retrieve the balloon.
The envelope is then detached from the burner frame and rolled up and packed back into its bag. The burners are then detached from the basket and everything then placed onto the trailer for the return journey.
After the flight it is necessary to re-fill the fuel tanks.
This is only a small insight into crewing, the more you do the more you learn.
Most pilots reward there voluntary crew with an occasional flight.
Please note....
If you should see a balloon land and wish to speak to the crew/pilot to get more information, please do not go onto the landing site as it will almost certainly be private property.
Please wait for the crew/pilot to come off the land before approaching them.
Crew and Pilots have great respect for private property and will only take on to the landing site what is really necessary to retrieve the balloon.
