The Balloons

The hot air balloon consists of three main parts: the envelope (fabric balloon), the basket (for passengers and pilot), and the burner system/ propane tanks.

A hot air balloon uses cold air to begin inflation, then propane burners to heat the air inside the envelope. When the air inside the balloon is heated, it becomes less dense than the cooler air outside, allowing the aircraft to become buoyant and rise. Conversely, letting the air cool or releasing hot air through a vent causes the balloon to descend; this is how the balloon is steered.

For inflation, the balloon is spread out on the ground with the basket on its side, and while the mouth of the balloon is held open by crew members, a large fan is used to blow air into the envelope. Since the envelope is so light, the balloon can be almost entirely filled with air by a fan.

Once the balloon is almost full of air, the pilot will ignite the burner and heat the air. Both the basket and the envelope rise into an upright position as the air is heated.