Up, up and away

Very nice!!!! That's one very cool photo!

One thing I've wondered, tho ... does one really "fly" a balloon, or are you sorta just along for the ride? I mean, I know you light the burner to go up, and let it cool to go down (or light the burner REAL BIG to go down REAL FAST!!!) but how much flying is there, really?

I'm not being sarcastic - just curious.
 
I believe they use differing winds aloft to steer. Also balloon pilots have a good feel for wind patterns close to the ground, ive heard of them getting down between the trees over a road through a forest and using that channel to drift along the road. Winds upwind are impossible. Crews are important for retrieve. Sounds like fun.
 
gkainz said:
One thing I've wondered, tho ... does one really "fly" a balloon, or are you sorta just along for the ride? I mean, I know you light the burner to go up, and let it cool to go down (or light the burner REAL BIG to go down REAL FAST!!!) but how much flying is there, really?
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From what I've seen, they fly but not in the same sense that we do. They have up and down control but the rest is all mental instead of physical control.
One morning I watched a balloon drift across the area then came down and just hovered forever. Up a little, drift one direction, down a little drift another direction, way up scoot over a third direction, down forth direction, up down up down...and on and on and on. It reminded me of tacking a sailboat to go upwind. He finally set it down between the trees in the only clearing available that wasn't much bigger than a park playground. It was all about knowing which way the wind was blowing at different altitudes and how to get the balloon to that specific altitude while taking into account the effects of the intermediate altitude winds.
 
It's been a long time since an aviation image on the internet brought a smile to my face. (How many times have we all seen the F-14 "towing" the waterskier anyhow?)

That was a very cool photograph, thank you for posting it!

--Matt
 
tonycondon said:
I believe they use differing winds aloft to steer.
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This is true. I was part of a balloon chase crew at one time. I remember them releasing a child's helium balloon before launch and noting the different directions it drifted as it rose.

Great picture! :yes:
 
Whether or not you consider it flying, I think it would be neat as all get out to be in one of those balloons amongst the others. Thanks Mike! :)
 
Nice Picture! I haven't been up in one but some friends told me that other than the sound of the burner when it is ignited it is the quietest place and ride that they have ever experienced.

Mark
 
N8894J said:
Nice Picture! I haven't been up in one but some friends told me that other than the sound of the burner when it is ignited it is the quietest place and ride that they have ever experienced.

Mark
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I was out crusin' one day with the top down (on my CAR, of course) when a hot air balloon flew overhead as I was stopped at a light in a small town. I leaned back and watched it go over and the pilot yelled "Hi!" down to me. I yelled "Hi!" back.

Now THERE'S something we can't do when we fly.
 
mikea said:
I leaned back and watched it go over and the pilot yelled "Hi!" down to me. I yelled "Hi!" back.

Now THERE'S something we can't do when we fly.
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Well, I have yelled at people on the ground when I was fly....probable good that they didn't hear me...lol.
 
mikea said:
I was out crusin' one day with the top down (on my CAR, of course) when a hot air balloon flew overhead as I was stopped at a light in a small town. I leaned back and watched it go over and the pilot yelled "Hi!" down to me. I yelled "Hi!" back.

Now THERE'S something we can't do when we fly.
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Actually, I'm sure we could. It just wouldn't be audible.
 
Back in the late 70s we lived in Napa, CA. It was quite common to wake up on a quiet weekend morning to the sound of burners overhead. Never have gone up in one.

BTW, great picture.
 
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