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General Information about Balloons and Ballooning:
Q. What is a Hot-Air Balloon?
A. A Hot-Air Balloon consists of three main components: the envelope which is the big fabric bag that most think of when talking about balloons; the basket, where the pilot and passengers stand during the flight; and, finally, the burner that heats the air to make the balloon fly. The burner does the same job in a balloon that the engine does in the family car.
Q. What is the balloon made from?
A. The envelope is made out of rip-stop nylon, similar to that used in parachutes. The fabric has a special coating to keep the hot air from escaping. The basket is handwoven wicker as a nod to tradition. Wicker is universally preferred by manufacturers because, even today, wicker provides the best combination of any material available; it is both light-weight and durable.
Q. What type of fuel is used by the burner?
A. The burner uses propane, the same fuel that many people use to heat their homes. We typically carry approximately 30 gallons of propane and will burn between 15 and 20 gallons on a typical flight.
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