Guide to Hot Air Balloon Safety

Hot air balloon safety is mostly a matter of choosing the right ride provider. You want to make sure that the company you choose is qualified and experienced with giving hot air balloon rides. If so, then there should be no worries about safety.

Hot air balloons are designed to be safe. The balloon envelope is most always crafted from fire-resistant, sturdy nylon. The basket where the passengers ride is made from wicker, which is extremely sturdy yet flexible.

A hot air balloon pilot must be certified by the FAA before being allowed to fly a hot air balloon. Before ever taking a balloon in the air, pilots perform a thorough examination of all equipment as well as weather and wind conditions. Weather and wind conditions are very important parts of ballooning safely.

The pilot controls the balloon vertically, and the wind does the rest. Wind moves in different directions at different altitudes, and the pilot uses this to his advantage. Even though ballooning is simple in theory, a pilot must have advanced knowledge about wind and altitude.

One very important part of hot air balloon safety is the crew that stays on the ground. Not only does the crew help check and set up the equipment, they follow the balloon while it is in flight. This is to give an extra measure of safety, as well as to meet the balloon on the ground so passengers and equipment can be collected.

Today's balloons are similar yet different from the very first balloon created in the late 1700's by the Montgolfier brothers of France. The first balloon was crafted from fabric, lined with paper and coated with alum to prevent the envelope from catching fire. Although the basic design is the same, the materials used and the heat source are much, much more sophisticated.

If heights make you uncomfortable, then a hot air balloon ride may be just the thing to ease your fears. The basket does not sway or rock during flight, and there is no possible way a passenger can fall out. It feels like the ground unfolds below you, and is quite relaxing.

Most balloonists fly at low levels such as a few thousand feet. However, you can find flights that are at higher altitudes, such as 10,000 feet, so you can experience flying through the clouds!

So if you've ever thought of taking a hot air balloon ride, go for it! It's safe, fun, and exciting!

Copyright 2006 Jim Sterling - All Rights Reserved

Hot Air Balloon News:
Wild Blue Yonder - Edge
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.nsb-observer.com/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D679:wild-blue-yonder%26catid%3D34:features%26Itemid%3D52cid=1287755007ei=8eBlSZNqmcrwBNngjOkEusg=AFQjCNE2n_ofSu9oDSoCffGmGPWbXk-NGwWild Blue Yonder/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fEdge,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1New Smyrna Beach Mayor Sally Mackay was standing by, scarf wrapped around her throat, as she watched the giant bhot air balloon/b inflate to its full b./b/font/div/font/td/tr/table..

Asprey Christmas Crackers
EURŠ balloon and a quotation. The crackers sells for 125 each but are also available in packs of six or twelve. Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | EURŠ..

Girl's balloon floats as far as Belgium
BALLOONS released in a charity race have made it all the way from Cambridge to Belgium EURŠ..

Membership always has its privileges - Quick DFW
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.quickdfw.com/sharedcontent/dws/quick/columnists/alibaster/stories/DN-life--alibaster_0108ick.ART.State.Edition1.4abc2df.htmlcid=0ei=8eBlSZNqmcrwBNngjOkEusg=AFQjCNElHXA7U4fJQpl2RmG5nKPs9M_s-QMembership always has its privileges/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fQuick DFW,nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobr2 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1My name is Alibaster K. Abthernabther, best-selling author, champion yacht racer, bhot/b-bair balloon/b enthusiast and your friendly Preston Hollow neighbor. b./b/font/div/font/td/tr/table..

Pricking the Angioplasty Balloon
About a third of heart-attack patients don't get angioplasty to reopen their blocked coronary artery for days or weeks, let alone within the recommended 90 minutes. Their heart-attack symptoms may EURŠ..

Better Way to Avoid Artery Reclog?
Researchers have come up with a way to keep heart arteries from reclogging after doctors use a tiny angioplasty balloon to open them: Coat the balloons with drugs EURŠ..

Adlige und Luftpioniere im Duell mit bunten Kugeln
EURŠ Balloon Trophy' in die Luft. Zuschauer erwartet ein abenteuerlicher Wettbewerb mit verschiedensten Disziplinen und ein attraktives Rahmenprogramm rund um Ballon und Luftfahrt. Pioniere der Luftfahrt: Die Faszination der bunten Kugeln EURŠ..

EARLY RELEASE: Strategies for Reducing the Door-to-Balloon Time in Acute Myocardial Infarction
Background Prompt reperfusion treatment is essential for patients who have myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation. Guidelines recommend that the interval between arrival at the hospital and intracoronary balloon inflation (door-to-balloon EURŠ..

It#39;s time to savor warm, sweet voluptuous hot chocolate - Pittsburgh Post Gazette
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09008/940204-34.stmcid=1287828590ei=8eBlSZNqmcrwBNngjOkEusg=AFQjCNGY-30R_vbwMjpZL-o_aldYJ0oIXQimg src=http://nt3.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=28u_KIwWBfkJimgurl=www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/200901/fong_chocolate01_mag_160.jpg width=62 height=80 alt= border=1/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09008/940204-34.stmcid=1287828590ei=8eBlSZNqmcrwBNngjOkEusg=AFQjCNGY-30R_vbwMjpZL-o_aldYJ0oIXQIt#39;s time to savor warm, sweet voluptuous bhot/b chocolate/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPittsburgh Post Gazette,nbsp;PAnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b./b with an electric mixer or even just a bballoon/b whisk (the bulbous shape of this type of whisk makes it ideal for incorporating bair/b into mixtures). b./b/font/div/font/td/tr/table..