After writing two columns about riding in a hot air balloon, Husband and I have been asked several questions. So, this is one more hot air balloon column.
The three main parts of a hot air balloon are the basket, the envelope, and the burner. The basket, a.k.a. gondola, is where the pilot and passengers stand during flight and where the propane gas tanks are stored. The envelope, which most people call the balloon, is usually made of nylon panels which expand at the top and taper at the bottom, and the envelope attaches to the basket. The burner is attached to the basket and produces hot air.
Now for the questions. Where did you ride? We flew with Middle Tennessee Hot Air Adventures in Franklin, Tennessee, and flew south of Franklin. They fly early mornings and late afternoons, weather permitting, from April thru October.
How far did you go? Eight miles in an hour.
Did you know where you were going? That’s similar to the question Husband asked Logan, our pilot, right after we left the ground. Husband said, “Where are we flying?” Logan answered that he wasn’t sure, but there were two or three possible routes. It depended on the wind.
Can you steer a hot air balloon? There isn’t a mechanism for steering. Logan had information about the direction and speed of the wind at different altitudes and, when needed, he used the burner to put hot air into the envelope so it would rise and catch the wind. He also controlled vents in the envelope with chords or ropes to release heat to maneuver and land.
How does the balloon get hot air? A propane burner provides heat to the envelope.
So, there was fire? Were you afraid? No, close to the burner, the envelope is made of a flame-resistant material, Nomex. And the flame is in the middle of the envelope – not really close to the fabric.
Were there chairs? No, we stood in the basket.
How did you get in the basket? The sides of the basket were about four feet high and had two stepping holes in each side. We stepped onto a small step stool, then used the stepping holes to climb up and stand or kneel on the top edge of the basket and stepped into it.
Did you fly back to where you started? No, the wind carried us south. As we flew, the crewmen talked with the pilot and drove the van to meet us where we landed.
Were you surprised by anything? Yes, the prayer at the end of the flight. In keeping with a long-time ballooning tradition, Logan recited the “Balloonist Prayer.”
May the winds welcome you with softness.
May the sun bless you with its warm hands.
May you fly so high and so well that God
joins you in laughter and sets you gently
back into the loving arms of Mother Earth.
Would you do it again? Yes! Anywhere. Anytime.
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