Ballooning

Ballooning how does it work?

Being a crewmember is hard work sometimes, the equipment is very heavy. Strange because hot-air is lighter than cold air. But first the crew gets the basket and balloon off the trailer. They lay all things in place and attach the balloon to the basket. Then the cold air is blown in by 1 or 2 ventilators. The balloon folds itself out and gets some shape. One or more of the crewmembers close the top of the balloon with the parachute. So the air can’t leave the balloon. The pilot has the time to check al his lines and stuff inside the balloon.


When the balloon is filled enough with cold air the pilot turns up the heat. He puts on the burners for hot-inflation. One or more crewmembers try to slow down the lift of the balloon by pulling on the crownline at the top of the balloon, while 2 others are holding the front open so the flame can’t touch the fabric.


The balloon rises up and the pilot will ask the passengers to climb on board. Waiting for the balloon to get the right temperature, the pilot does a final check. Then the quick-release is detached and you're off. In to an unknown world, free as a bird. You see the people and the houses getting smaller under you and you feel like your floating (well you are because your floating on air). Now it is the time to just look down to the things below, the tiny little houses, people waving at you, dogs barking. It’s such a relaxing feeling, the only disturbance you have is the burner that roars every few seconds.


Back on the launchfield the crew puts all the stuff, that didn’t go up in the air, back on the trailer and starts to follow the balloon. Crew and pilot have radiocontact but it’s the sport to try and follow the balloon without it.
On the ground the crew is driving more miles than you, who is flying trough the air. When the landing comes in sight the pilot tells you what you should and shouldn’t do during the landing and prepares all for the landing. Depending on the wind you’ll have an easy or a little bumpier landing. When the balloon touches the ground the pilot pulls the ribcord and the parachute comes down. This is to let the warm air leave the balloon and the balloon comes down to the ground. The passengers can now leave the basket and can help the pilot to fold up the balloon and let the rest of the air out of it. The crew tries to find the owner of the landingfield to ask him/her if they could retrieve the balloon and if they can take the car with them on to the field. When the balloon and basket are back on the trailer it’s time for champagne. The pilot will asks you to sit down on your knees and he tells something about the history of the hot-air balloon.
And then........ that’s a thing you have to find out for yourself.