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Hot Air Balloons |
By John Weeks
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Hot air balloons are an interesting way to travel. They only travel as fast as the wind blows and weather conditions must be ideal, but many people find it a very enjoyable experience. |
| Wind conditions often determine the path the balloon will take. Wind speeds vary depending on altitude so pilots can increase or decrease their horizontal speed by changing altitude. |
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In 1783, the Montgolfier brothers sent a sheep, a duck, and a chicken on an eight-minute flight over France. Their design was similar to the hot air balloons used today. They used manure, straw, and other material to power their balloon. Two months later, Pilate de Rosier and the Marquis Francis d'Arlandes became the first humans to fly a hot air balloon. Pilate de Rosier later died in an attempted flight over the English Channel. In the 1800s, balloons designed using gas replaced the hot air balloon. Smoke balloons also became popular in the late 1800s. Then in 1960 hot air balloons once again gained popularity when companies started to sell them as sporting equipment. Many improvements have been made to hot air balloons over the
years in terms of safety features, load capacity, and balloon shapes. |
| Piloting a
Hot Air Balloon To slow a balloon, pilots have a cord they can pull to open the parachute valve to let some of the hot air escape. This decreases the inner air temperature and causes the balloon to slow. Letting out too much hot air will cause the balloon to sink. |
01/14/02 04:40:19 PM John Weeks