Ballooning FAQ's- Where are your hot air balloon tours located?
- What kind of cloth is the hot air balloon made of?
- Why is the basket made of wicker?
- How is the hot air balloon inflated?
- What kind of fuel is used for the burners?
- How tall are hot air balloons?
- What should I wear hot air ballooning?
- Can I take a camera while hot air ballooning?
- How long does it all take?
- Where will we land?
- How far will we fly?
- How does the chase crew know where we are?
- How high do hot air balloons fly?
- What if I'm afraid of heights?
- Do people get airsick on a hot air balloon?
- How do we get back to the launch field or the hotel?
- How are hot air balloon pilots licensed?
- Who controls hot air ballooning adventures and ensures safety standards?
1. Where are your tours?
We offer tours in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, Temecula Wine Country, Perris Valley, Los Angeles and San Diego.
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2. What kind of cloth is the balloon made of?
The colorful envelope is usually made of nylon or polyester, the same type of cloth that parachutes are made of. It is very tightly woven and is coated with a material that makes it very air tight. The nylon is only used to keep the hot air in the balloon. The basket load is transferred by steel or Kevlar cables to a series of vertical load tapes which carry the load. Balloons range in size from about 54,000 cubic feet for a one- or two-person balloon to over 250,000 cubic feet for a balloon capable of carrying a pilot plus eight or ten passengers.
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3. Why is the basket made of wicker?
The wicker basket has proven to be very strong for its weight and is flexible. The wicker is sometimes woven around a steel or aluminum frame, which helps to support the upright posts upon which the burner is mounted. The top rim of the basket and the uprights are usually padded and covered in suede or leather.
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4. How is the hot air balloon inflated?
When the time comes to put the balloon up, the envelope is removed from the bag and laid out in a long line. The burners are attached to the uprights, and the basket is attached to the cables on the bottom of the envelope. An engine driven fan is used to inflate the envelope with cold air. When partially inflated, the air is heated by a burner and the envelope rises above the basket. With further heating, there is sufficient 'lift' for the balloon to fly.
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5. What kind of fuel is used for the burners?
To heat the air, the burners are fueled by propane gas, much the same as you probably use in your backyard barbecue grill. The burners do not run continuously; they are only used intermittently to heat the air to maintain the required lift.
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6. How tall are balloons?
Depending on the weight capacity, hot air balloons may be as tall as 100 feet.
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7. What should I wear?
You should wear whatever you feel comfortable in. There is really no need to dress up. You should wear the type of clothing that you would expect to wear if you be going for a walk the day of the flight. A light jacket is sometimes comfortable in the fall or early spring. Women should wear pants or shorts, and layered clothing is much better than a heavy coat. Shoes should have flat soles, and the majority of top clothing should be made of cotton rather than man made fibers. Tall passengers may find a hat useful because of the radiant heat from the burners.
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8. Can I take a camera?
Yes, there is no problem in taking either a still or video camera with you during the flight. A hot air balloon makes a perfect camera platform and there is always plenty to photograph prior to, during and after the flight. We do recommend, however, that you have a suitable soft case with you in which to slow the camera during the landing phase of the flight.
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9. How long does it all take?
From start to finish, your adventure will last about 3 hours. The inflation and preparation of the balloon normally takes about 30 minutes. The flight itself normally takes around one hour. After the flight, the ceremonies take about 30 minutes. The balloons always carry sufficient fuel for at least 2 hours flight time plus a 30 minute reserve capacity.
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10. Where will we land?
Good question! The simple answer is that nobody knows, exactly! The pilot will have done flight planning before the launch to ensure that the forecast wind direction does not take the balloon towards an unsuitable area. S/he will use the different air currents at different altitudes to steer the balloon toward a good landing place. The pilot also closely follows agreements with local landowners. This means that the hot air balloon won't fly too close to livestock or land in areas planted with valuable crops.
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11. How far will we fly
It varies by wind condition. Hot air balloons travel with the wind and an hour flight can carry it up to 15 miles, sometimes more, sometimes less. The balloon also flies at different altitudes. Although the balloon is at the mercy of the wind when it comes to direction, the vertical control of a balloon can be very precise. It is not unusual for our pilots to be able to brush the bottom of the basket across the tops of brush, or inches from the ground.
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12. How does the chase crew know where we are?
Radios are used to stay in contact with the chase crew as well as with Air Traffic Control and other aircraft flying in the vicinity.
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13. How high do balloons fly?
Most balloonists enjoy low level flight. The typical hot air balloon flight would be anywhere from tree level to about 3,000 feet above the ground.
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14. What if I'm afraid of heights?
Flying in a high sided balloon basket is not like standing on a roof or a high ladder. You don't get that vertigo feeling. It is more like the ground is unfolding beneath you, and, because you are moving with the wind, there is no wind blowing. The basket does not rock or sway so you can't possibly fall out.
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15. I sometimes get airsick in airplanes. Is a hot air balloon the same?
No. The turbulence which usually causes motion sickness is completely absent in a balloon ride. The flight of a balloon is almost too smooth to describe.
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16. How do we get back to the launch field or the hotel?
The balloon is followed by a chase vehicle and the crew. They are in constant contact with the balloon pilot by radio and should be at the landing site at the same time as the balloon. Once the balloon is packed away (and the ceremonies are complete) the chase vehicle will take you back.
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17. How are balloon pilots licensed?
Balloons are registered like any other aircraft and are subject to regular airworthiness checks. The FAA will not allow a balloon to be certified as airworthy unless these inspections and checks are done by authorized maintenance personnel and certified by them. All pilots are licensed by the FAA and have to pass regular flight checks.
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18. Who controls ballooning and ensures safety standards?
The Federal Aviation Administration controls ballooning with the same strict regulations that apply to airplanes.
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