HOTAIRFULL OF

HOTAIRFULL OF

Exhibition by: Melissa Mild

Saint Louis, Missouri

Full of Hot Air

Melissa Mild

P.O Box 510284

Saint Louis, MO 63151-0452

Copyright ©2013 by Melissa Mild

All right reserved. No part of this book may be

reproduced, in any form or by any means, without the

permission in writing from the publisher except in the

case of brief quotations. For information or request

please be directed to the above address.

Printed in the United States of America

“Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities.

Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your

own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”

Norman Vincent Peale

CONTENTSWEATHER

PARTS

RISING UP

HISTORY

10

12

14

22

Hot air balloons are based on a very basic principle: warmer air rises in cooler air. Essentially, hot air is lighter than cool air.

However, if you actually need to get somewhere, a

hot air balloon is a fairly impractical vehicle. You can’t

really steer it, and it only travels as fast as the wind

blows. If you simply want to enjoy the experience

of flying, there’s nothing quite like it. Many people

describe flying in a hot air ballo on as one of the most

serene, enjoyable activities they’ve ever experienced.

FOREWORD

WEATHERCHECK THE

BEFORE LAUNCHING

Before launching, pilots will call a weather service

to find out about climate and wind conditions in

an area. Cautious pilots only fly when the weather

is close to ideal, when skies are clear and wind

conditions are normal.

10

Storms are extremely hazardous for

hot air balloons, because of the danger of

a lightning strike.

Even rain is a problem, because it decreases visibility

and damages the balloon material. Even while you

need a nice wind current to have a good flight, very

strong winds could easily wreck the balloon.

11

PARTSESSENTIAL

OF A HOT AIR BALLOON

12

The 3 main parts of a hot air balloon:A hot air balloon is composed of 3 different parts

that in which the balloon could not fly. The envelope

which is the actual fabric balloon which holds the air.

The burner which is the unit that propels the heat

up inside the envelope and the basket in which the

passengers and pilot stand.

Parachute Valve:Hole used to deflate

the balloon

13

Basket: Carries the passengers

Burner: Heats the air

Propane Tanks

Skirt:Deflects wind

from burner flame

Panels

Balloon Envelope:Holds hot air

RISING UPTHE PROCESS OF

14

Once the crew has found a suitable launching

point, the balloon envelope is laid flat on the

ground and with the use of a powerful fan, the

envelope is inflated with cool air.

The air particles are moving at the same rate

in and outside of the balloon.

STEP 1

COOL AIR

15

When the balloon is completely inflated with cool

air the crew will turn the burner on to heat the air inside the balloon.

The air particles inside the balloon are starting

to move more quickly and the air is becoming less

dense as the air is heated.

STEP 2

MOVING SLOWER

MOVING FASTER

16

The envelope is now fully heated and the balloon

will begin to rise off the ground.

As the air particles become less and less dense, it

causes the balloon to rise against the more dense

air around it. Essentially hot air rises in cool air.

STEP 3

HOT AIR

COOL AIR

17

Now to keep the balloon rising in the air the

pilot must control the amount of heat that

is released from the burner into the envelope.

The pressure in the air creates an upward force against gravity which causes the buoyant force

of air.

STEP 4

GRAVITY:Downward Force

AIR PRESSURE:Upward Force

18

When ready to land, the crew will search out a

suitable site and will then release the hot air slowly

to lower the balloon back to the ground.

The release of hot air will cause the air particles

to slow down and become more dense again.

STEP 5

HOT AIR:Releases from valve

19

Once the balloon has safely landed on the ground

the crew will pack up.

Air particles are back to normal and are the

same density throughout. The balloon will now stay

on the ground until the air is reheated.

STEP 6

20

21

AIR PARTICLES ARE MOVING THE SAME

HISTORYBALLOONING HISTORY

The sheep, duck and chicken became the first balloon passengers on Sept. 19, 1783, in the Montgolfier brothers first demonstration

flight for King Louis XVI. They all survived the trip,

giving the King some assurance that human

beings could breath the atmosphere at the higher

elevation. Two months later, Marquis Francois

d'Arlandes, a major in the infantry, and Pilatre de

Rozier, a physics professor, became the first human

beings to fly.

22

100 ft10,00 ft

40,00 ft50,00 ft

70,00 ft

3,000 ftHot air balloons

usually fly between

500 ft and 3,000 ft.

12,500 ftThe FAA allows a hot air

balloon to reach 12,500 ft

for safety reasons. After this

height pilots must have

oxygen on board.

42,000 ftThe highest recorded

balloon flight, at the

time, set by U.S.

Army Corps Captain

Hawthorne C. Gray in 1927.

He died on the descent

from lack of oxygen.

45,000 ftCruising height for

commercial airplanes.

70,000 ftIn a pressurized cabin,

Vijaypat Singhania of India

set the world record in 2005

for highest balloon flight,

reaching an altitude of 69,986

feet. Temperatures dipped to

the minus 135 degrees.

The Exhibition Full of Hot Air was designed and

printed by Melissa Mild. This book was printed at

UMSL computer lab on the laser jet printer. While

making this book the information used to explain the

processes came from: www.howstuffworks.com