Hot Air Balloon - How it Works
By Ryan Coisson

If you've ever been up early on a clear summer morning, you may have had the privilege of seeing a brightly colored hot air balloon floating gently in the air. This balloon is the oldest man-made flight technology in existence. It is believed that the earliest type of it was a floating lantern built by the Chinese in the early part of the 3rd century. The first clearly recorded manned flight took place in 1783 in France. Today it is still used as a means of transportation, but mostly for pleasure. Yet, despite the thousands of years of history, many people still don't know how a hot air balloon works.

They work on one of the most basic of scientific principles: warmer air rises in cooler air. Modern hot air balloons burn propane to heat the air, which is stored in lightweight cylinders in the basket. Burners ignite the compressed propane which heats the air in the envelope of the balloon. The envelope is the "balloon" part of the apparatus. The envelope is constructed of nylon gores. The gores are made up of a number of small panels. When the pilot of the balloon wants it to rise, he opens up a propane valve to increase gas flow. If the pilot wants to balloon to descent, he pulls a cord to open a parachute valve at the top of the balloon. This allows some of the hot air to escape, allowing the balloon to descend. Pilots maneuver the balloon by catching directional air currents. With these simple principles, the oldest man-made flight technology continues to transport people through the air.

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