By Suzanne Rhodes
Official Kids Mag
What is it like to fly in a hot air balloon?
Balloon pilot Austin Albers from Ponca says
"It's a surreal feeling. You're literally floating
the same speed as the wind, as the air. No
engine, no anything moving you. It's very quiet
and peaceful. That's what attracted me to it."
Austin was at the 24th annual Arkansas Hot
Air Balloon State Championship in Harrison
to show off his beautiful balloon, named Miss
Arkansas. He is the fifth- generation family
member to own Miss Arkansas. "We're 45
years owning it," he was proud to say. The
balloon is eight stories high, or 80 feet, and can
go as high as 12,500 feet.
The festival, which featured skydiving,
balloon glows, competitive races and other fun
events, was held September 17-19 at Boone
County Regional Airport and as always, drew
awe-inspired crowds.
"I love all the patterns and colors of the hot
air balloons," said 10-year-old Lyla G.who was
there with her family. She also hung out with
her friend, Marcus A., who said he "enjoyed
watching them set up the balloons as they
inflated." This year's competition featured 10
balloons.
Hot air balloon science
There's science behind these gentle floating
sky giants. They have three main parts:
basket, burner and envelope. The basket, of
course, holds the pilot and passengers. The
burner uses propane to heat the air inside
the envelope, which is the fabric sack that
holds the air. "The burners create the heat
that provides the lift," Austin explained. His
envelope is made of a strong material called
ripstock nylon and is festive, with yellow, white
and green colors emblazoned with the words
"Arkansas The Natural State."
To make sure the balloon is safe to fly,
like any other aircraft "you have an annual
inspection," Austin pointed out. "We take our
balloon to a maintenance shop. They inspect
every square inch of the material. They check
it for strength. They test to make sure it hasn't
gotten too hot. They check the heat sensors
at the top of the balloon. They check your
burners, tanks, instruments—everything."
You might be wondering just how safe it is
to fly in a hot air balloon. The answer is, very
safe. With modern meteorology, the pilot
can accurately study weather patterns and
potential hazards like wind and fog. "We do
a good job of projecting" for those elements,
Austin said. Flights are canceled for rain, storms
and wind. If the wind speed exceeds 10 mph.
Flying a hot air balloon is
poetry
& science
26 • NoVember 2021 • www.officialKidsmag.com
