A hot air balloon is made up of components that fit together. The crew will prepare the balloon for a flight at the launch site and will happily explain how a balloon works. Firstly there is the 'basket' which is made from wicker. This is the part of the balloon which the passengers stand in during the flight. The basket also hold the flight cylinders or 'gas tanks' and of course the pilot. Once the basket is off-loaded from the trailer and put in the correct postion for the direction of flight (balloons travel in the same direction as the prevailing wind) the 'burner' is fitted. This is the part of the balloon that changes the gas into fire and heats the air in the balloon thus providing lift. The burner is attached and the balloon basket is laid on it's side. At this point the 'envelope' is unveiled. This is the fabric part of the hot air balloon (the balloon shaped part) which attaches to the burner frame. The envelope is stretched out and filled with cold air by means of an 'inflator fan'. The air enters the envelope at the 'mouth'. This is the big opening at the bottom of the envelope. The cold air helps the fabric of the envelope lift and become more of a balloon shape. Once the envelope is sufficiently filled with cold air the pilot lights his burners and gently heats the air inside. At this point the air expands and so does the envelope. The air becomes warm enough that it rises – lifting the envelope up and making the balloon stand up. The hot air balloon is now ready to fly. Once the passengers are loaded and the pilot has completed his safety checks the restraint line is released and the balloon floats gently above and is carried in the direction of the wind.
Each hot air balloon flight lasts approximately one hour and with the very nature of ballooning each one is unique. There are many different options when it comes to buying a 'flight voucher'. It largely depends upon when you want to fly, in which size balloon and how many people you want to buy vouchers for. You can book online at www.highroadballoons.co.uk or call us for more information or if you would like to speak to one of us about the options available to you.