What are hot air balloons made of ?
Modern hot air balloons are usually made of materials such as ripstop
nylon or dacron (a polyester).
How does a hot air balloon float?
Hot air rises. Heated air molecules "spread out" or expand
and bounce around, and the space becomes less dense than
the surrounding space. Increasing the air temperature inside
the balloon envelope makes it less dense than the air, thus making it
"lighter than air".
How hot is the air in a hot air balloon?
The air inside is heated to a temperature of about 120°C (250°F).
How much hot air does it take to lift one pound?
To lift one pound, you need 125 cubic feet of hot air. To lift
a 200-pound person, you need 25,000 cubic feet of hot air.
How much weight can hot air balloons carry?
The average hot air balloon (with a deflated envelope, a gondola or
basket, 30-40 gallons of fuel in 2 tanks) weighs about 800 pounds.
Special Shape and larger commercial balloons weigh thousands of
pounds. Once inflated and in the air it will weigh about 2 ½ tons!
How long can a hot air balloon fly?
Most balloons can fly for about 1 hour depending on the outside
temperature and the weight carried. On a cold day with only the
pilot flying, a 2-3 hour flight would be possible. Hot air Balloons can
fly all year round with calm winds.
What happens if a hot air balloon gets a hole?
The balloon would fall to the ground. A hot air balloon stays aloft
because of buoyancy; warm air is less dense than the air around it, so it
rises, pushing the balloon up.
Can you fly a hot air balloon at night?
Balloons fly best with wind speeds ranging from 4 to 8 miles per
hour. Balloons will never launch in winds higher than 12 mph. ...
Visibility: Balloon Pilots operate under FAA VFR conditions. This
means they must have a certain amount of visibility in order to be able
to fly (which means NO NIGHT FLYING).
How do you calculate a balloon lift?
If you measure a balloon in feet, you get the volume of the balloon in
cubic feet. One cubic foot of helium will lift about 28.2 grams, so
multiply the volume of the balloon by 28.2. Divide by 448 -- the
number of grams in a pound -- to determine the number of pounds it
can lift.
46 • Off icialKidsMag.com • OC TOBER 2019
