Balloon control. Do-it-yourself balloon with a basket: instructions and diagrams. balloon cost

A balloon with a basket is a safe type of air transport that gives bright and unforgettable emotions!

A hot air balloon is an aircraft for flight, which uses a gas that is particularly light. Structurally, it consists of a shell filled with gas and a special basket designed for a certain weight. The control of such a product is carried out using a special cord connected to the shell. As a result, hot air escapes to the outside, which helps to reduce air transport. To know the correct name of a balloon with a basket, you need to turn to the origins of history.

Excursion into history

The first balloon was designed in 1783 by the Montgolfier brothers. The product was filled with hot air, due to which it could rise up. Thanks to the propane type burner, the air was heated. Since the discharged hot air had less weight than the cold air, the balloon could lift off the ground and take off. These devices have been actively used for several centuries to perform aeronautics.

The first successful flight was made in a balloon, the shell of which was made of paper. Warm air circulated from a fixed pot, which served as a combustion site for the fuel. The basket was made of wood and shaped like a boat.

Today, many people are wondering what is the name of a balloon with a basket? Based on the type of shell filling, the following balls are distinguished:

• hot air balloons (filled with hot air mass);
• charliers (light gas is used - hydrogen or helium);
• rosiers (air and gas are used simultaneously for flight).

Features of flying devices

A basket (gondola) of a rectangular shape is an essential attribute of any hot air balloon. It can accommodate from 3 to 25 people (depending on size). You should not worry about the safety of those present, since its edges are quite high and reach chest level. For its manufacture, willow rods or rattan are used. Some areas are covered with leather for greater strength and aesthetics. The shell is made of durable polyester, polyamide or lavsan. Such materials are the most suitable, have adequately proven themselves in various climatic conditions and under increased stress.

Do you want to know what is the name of the large balloon with a basket used for tourist flights by our club? These are modern balloons with a high-quality heat-resistant shell that is airtight. They are equipped with capacious wicker baskets and a block of burners that run on a propane-butane mixture. Barometric devices and a fan are provided, which are responsible for the flow of cold air mass into the shell.

Balloon control begins with careful preparation for the flight. First you need to know the weather forecast, Special attention paying attention to such parameters as cloudiness, visibility and wind speed. Knowing the direction of the wind and weather, the pilot plans the optimal flight path and looks for a good landing site for the aircraft.

Take off on a balloon

The flight begins with the choice of a suitable place for takeoff. Usually, a field or area free of trees and bushes is chosen for this. Then all the equipment necessary for the flight is unloaded to this place and installed. Gas burners are attached to the basket using special hoses and their working condition is checked. After that, the dome of the balloon is stretched and connected to the basket with the help of special carabiners. Then the pilot starts to heat it up, the canopy inflates and rises.

Preparation on average can last from 10 to 20 minutes.

Balloon control

At first glance, it may seem that piloting a hot air balloon is a simple matter and does not require special knowledge, but this opinion is erroneous. In fact, the control of the balloon requires special skills from the pilot.

The hot air balloon has no wings and no motor, and its movement is controlled only by burners and a valve. When the air is heated, the ball rises, and when the valve valve is opened, it begins to descend. Therefore, the height depends on the regulation of the temperature inside the dome.

The direction of flight is also related to the strength and direction of the wind. Pilots, taking into account the characteristics of the wind at different heights, can control, change and direct the flight of the balloon in one direction or in another.

Ball landing

Before takeoff, the place of the likely landing of the balloon is usually planned, and when the time comes, the pilot informs the ground crew about the landing point. The team on the ground quickly goes to the place and helps the balloon to land. As a rule, pilots try to choose a place next to the roadway or in a meadow so that an accompanying car can drive up without any problems.

Landing is very simple: the pilot opens the valve and the air gradually exits the canopy. The ball slowly descends and, having reached the ground, lie down. The team deflates the remaining air in the dome and packs the balloon.

Explain the reason for the ability balloons There are several theories for flying. In a broad sense, this process is due to the ratio of the weight of air and gas. If the balloon is full...

There are several theories to explain the reason for the ability of balloons to fly. In a broad sense, this process is due to the ratio of the weight of air and gas. If the balloon is filled with gas, then it rises and does not fall to the ground. When it is filled with air, for example, when a person inflates a balloon on his own, his ability to fly is reduced. The gas is much lighter than air, which is why balloons filled with helium fly best.

Depending on the filling, balloons can perform different manipulations.:

• if the ball is full carbon dioxide, air or argon, then it will fly worse;
• neon, methane, nitrogen, helium and hydrogen make the ball take off rapidly due to the minimum weight of these gases and the large difference with the mass of air.

Balloon flight from the point of view of physics

From the point of view of physics, any body placed in a gas or liquid is subject to a displacement force equal to the weight of the body. The balloon in this case is a body "placed" in the air. Because the gas filling the balloon makes it lighter than the air, then a buoyant force begins to be exerted. Due to this, the ball quickly rises up and begins to fly.

With the help of physics, one can also explain the reason for the not very good flying properties of balloons filled with air. The weight in this case is almost the same, so the ball can only hover in the air, but without force, it falls to the ground.

The flight of a balloon in the air is comparable to the navigation of ships on water. In both the first and second cases, the lighter body is pushed out by heavy water or air. Moreover, water and air possess almost the same degree of buoyancy.

Why balloons fly

Large balloons designed for aeronautics fly for the same reasons as small toy balloons. The explanation for the ability to fly in this case is also the laws of physics. The size of the ball, the weight of the basket and the passengers are in close relationship with each other. The ball rises by heating the air in it and the resulting gas. Due to this impact, the ball becomes lighter than air and a buoyant force is exerted on it.

Balloon control

It is impossible to control any balloons. The main driving force is always air or wind. If you let go of a small balloon and hold it by the thread, then, despite efforts, turn it in right direction will not work. A similar situation occurs with balls for aeronautics. The only thing passengers in the basket can do is lower the balloon to ground level or lift it higher into the air. Height is gained by reducing weight (special weights are dropped), and the ball is reduced by reducing the amount of gas by controlling the temperature of heating the air inside the rubberized material. The temperature is changed by changing the burner level.

Why are balloons and airships filled with hydrogen or helium

As children, everyone played with balloons. No one wondered why balloons are filled with hydrogen or helium. To answer this question, we should recall some questions from the school physics course.

A bit of physics

If the body is in the air, several forces act on it. Biggest Influence exert the Archimedean force and weight. Their difference is called lift. If they are equal, then the balloon hangs freely or moves through the air in intricate curves, the shape of which depends on the currents. If the Archimedean force is greater than the weight, there is a lifting force acting on the balloon upwards.

The weight of the aircraft is made up of the gas itself, the shell in which it is located, and the load being lifted.

If the shell is filled with ordinary air at a temperature environment, the ball will not rise. The air needs to be heated. Therefore, the balloon must be equipped with a burner for constant heating of the air inside the shell.

The Archimedean force depends on the volume of the shell and the difference between the densities of the air and the gas in it.

As the altitude increases, the temperature decreases, the air pressure and its density in the closed shell decrease. Accordingly, the Archimedean force decreases, and the ball begins to descend. To prevent this from happening, a hole is made in the lower part of the shell, under which a burner is placed. By decreasing or increasing the amount of fuel burned, you can control the flight altitude.

Closed-shell aircraft use gases that, at the same temperature, have a density less than that of the surrounding air.

Among the available gases lowest density has hydrogen. In industry, it is produced in large volumes, so its cost is relatively small.

Today, for safety reasons, the spherical shell of the balloon is filled with helium. This rare chemical element was first discovered using spectral analysis on the sun and was given its name Helios, which means solar. Much later, this gas was discovered on earth.

At the same temperature, the density of helium is 10 times less than air. Hydrogen has an even better indicator - 20. Therefore, initially the balls were filled with hydrogen. But, unlike helium, it is a flammable and explosive gas. Using this element is safe, but a balloon filled with helium has much less lift.

A bit of history

Large balloons are called aerostats, and in the past they were mainly used for scientific research. Most of them were spheres of various diameters.

The largest balloon with a sphere volume of more than 4000 m³ took off in the autumn of 2010. 36 people traveled in its gondola.

The maximum height to which the balloon has risen is more than 21 km. The record flight was made by Indian citizen Vijaypat Singhania in 2005. The balloon was filled with warm air.

At the beginning and middle of the last century, cigar-shaped airships were used to transport people and goods.

The largest airship in the history of mankind, the Hindenburg, was designed in Nazi Germany in the late 30s. He made 21 flights across the Atlantic and died in 1937. At that time there was no helium in Germany and all the Hindenburg tanks were filled with hydrogen. The cause of the accident is unknown. After the tragedy, hydrogen-filled balloons and airships are not used to transport passengers. They are used for scientific purposes only.

Owning a hot air balloon is a childhood dream of many. Today it is possible not only to purchase it, but also to make it yourself. How? Read on!

Buy a balloon

Today, several stores both abroad and in Russia offer to buy balloons and shells for them. New hot air balloons (hot air balloons) Russian production they cost about 700 thousand rubles with all the necessary components - a shell, a basket, a burner, a fan, an air intake, etc. Most of prices fall on the shell - 300-400 thousand rubles. The cost with a basket of Czech production starts from 30 thousand dollars, England - from 40 thousand euros.

Used balloons can be purchased from 400-500 thousand rubles for a complete set. In addition to the cost of the apparatus itself, the owner of the balloon will have to spend on:

• gas consumption;
• registration and certification in the Federal Air Transport Agency;
• annual renewal of the certificate of airworthiness;
• remuneration to the pilot (possibly for his training);
• remuneration of the ground service crew, etc.

Hot air balloon with a basket do it yourself: dome

If you decide to design your own balloon, then the first thing you should do is the dome. For him, you need to purchase durable nylon - polyester or polyamide. It is important that the material does not let air through - cover the fabric on the reverse side with liquid polyurethane or silicone.

The next step is to cut the nylon into segments of the desired size, which are sewn together with extra strong threads. The do-it-yourself hole for inflating a balloon with a basket is sheathed with a protective layer of material that is resistant to high temperatures.

To make the dome more durable, it is additionally sheathed vertically and horizontally with fabric tapes. They are fixed at the very top of the dome, and the lower edges of the ribbons are attached to the ropes of the suspension basket.

How to make a balloon: basket

Traditionally, the walls of the basket are woven from vines, and the bottom is made from the so-called marine plywood, which is resistant to temperature extremes and other extreme moments. The framework is steel cables from corrosion-proof material. They attach the basket to the dome. Special leather covers are put on the cables to protect them from damage.

It is also necessary to design special suspensions where luggage and accessories for aeronautics will be stored.

Important element: burner

Before you make a balloon, you need to carefully consider the design of the burner. The fuel for it is currently liquefied propane. The average power of the device is 4.5-6.0 thousand megawatts. It is necessary to purchase special burners for balloons, which are made of durable stainless steel using a special technology that allows the device to withstand large temperature differences.

Own balloon: instructions

It is, of course, difficult to make a passenger balloon at home, but it is very possible to make a test paper balloon with a basket with your own hands. You will need:

• thick paper;
• thin paper (so-called tissue paper);
• glue;
• threads;
• leg-split;
• scissors;
• pencil;
• long line;
• triangle.

Now to work:

1. The number and size of the cut strips will depend on the diameter of your ball. If it is 1.5 m, then 12 strips will be needed, 2 m - 16, 2.5 m - 20, 3 m - 24.
2. To draw an even pattern, first draw a vertical line on paper equal to the length of the future strip. Through it, draw perpendicular segments at a certain distance equal to the limits of the segment width. Endpoints segments are connected by a smooth line, which will be the contour of the strip.
3. Using the cardboard template, trace and cut out the outlines of the segments on tissue paper. It is most convenient to lay several layers of it on top of each other, forming a pack, and cut several segments at once.
4. The segments are first glued together with "boats". Then these "boats" need to be glued one to the other. Before sealing the last seam, turn the structure so that it has the shape of a ball.
5. The base of the ball is fastened with glued strips of paper with twine - this design will hold the ball when heated.
6. Cover the top of the dome with a circle of the same tissue paper.
7. After the glue has dried, flatten the dome by holding it over the blowtorch.
8. A basket for special cargo can be attached to the structure on the same twine.

To launch the ball, turn on the burner or kindle a fire, hold your ball over the heat source, without letting go of the string from your hands. Once the air inside your homemade aeronautics is warm, you can let it fly.

Thus, a do-it-yourself balloon with a basket can be made at home. But passenger balloons can only be bought or rented.

general information

The balloon is aircraft lighter than air, which moves not with the help of motors, but when the air in the dome is heated. The balloon always flies in the direction of the wind, that is, where the wind blows, and as much as the wind blows.

In summer, usually balloons they fly early in the morning (5.00 – 9.00 am) until thermals (vertical air currents) start, and in the evening (18.00 – 21.00) when the thermals calm down. In autumn - spring, morning flights start a little later (8:00 am), and evening flights start a little earlier (at 4:00 pm).

A balloon flight lasts about an hour on average, although from a technical point of view it can last 2-3 or more hours.

In an hour, a balloon flies an average of 10 - 20 kilometers.

A balloon can rise to a height of more than 10 km, but at an altitude of 3 km a person no longer has enough oxygen. Therefore, balloons, as a rule, fly low.

Flight preparation

Balloon control begins with careful preparation for the flight. First, the pilot learns meteorological information. For a balloon flight, the most important are three meteorological parameters:

cloudy - so that there is no storm or cumulus clouds,

visibility - at least 5 km,

wind speed - no more than 5 m / s.

Having the purpose of the flight, knowing the direction and speed of the wind, the pilot plans the flight path. Since the meteorological situation is constantly changing, it is impossible to accurately plan a flight or landing site. Therefore, when choosing a launch site, the pilot must always evaluate whether there are enough areas in the direction of flight for a safe landing of the balloon.

If it is planned to fly over the city, the pilot of the balloon must have permission from the local government, and before the flight, the pilot must present his flight plan to the Flight Control Service.

Flights over the city are also specific in that management services are provided here. air traffic. Therefore, the pilot must carefully prepare his charts, and coordinate the details of the flight with the flight control service.

Hot air balloon takeoff

The flight in a hot air balloon starts from the start of the hot air balloon. The pilot and all his team, only 4 people, take part in the launch of the balloon. Passengers are also included in this process, of course, if they agree. For passengers, the start is no less impressive sight than the flight itself.

First, choose appropriate place to launch the balloon. It is best if it is a meadow measuring at least 50 x 50 meters. There should not be any obstacles on the meadow (field): trees, poles, electric lines. With more strong wind looking for a place protected from the wind.

After choosing a place, all balloon equipment is unloaded. Burners are attached to the basket, they are connected to gas cylinders with the help of special hoses. The pilot tests how the burners and the gas supply system work.

Then the dome is stretched. The dome always stretches in the direction of the wind. The dome is connected to the basket and burners with the help of special carabiners.

Cold air is blown into the prepared dome with the help of a fan.

A powerful fan fills the dome with air in about 5 minutes.

When the canopy is sufficiently inflated, the pilot, using the flame of the burners, begins to heat the air in the canopy. The heated air expands and rises. Thus, the dome inflates and begins to rise from the ground.

Before inflation, the balloon is tied to the car. This is done so that the wind does not completely throw the unprepared balloon. When the pilot is satisfied that the balloon and passengers are properly ready for flight, and when the air in the dome is heated to the required temperature, the balloon begins to rise. After that, the balloon is unhooked from the car and rises.

Preparation of the balloon for flight takes 10-15 minutes.

Piloting a hot air balloon

Although piloting a balloon at first glance seems very simple, in fact it requires special knowledge and skill of the pilot.

Since the balloon has no motor or wings, the balloon is controlled during flight by two main instruments: the burners and the valve. When the air is heated, the balloon rises, and when the valve is opened, the balloon begins to descend. Therefore, the height of the balloon is controlled by changing the temperature inside the dome.

Many people have a question: if the pilot can only adjust the flight altitude, then how does the balloon reach the required place?

The answer is hidden here: ballooning uses atmospheric conditions. Direction and strength of the wind different heights is molded, so pilots, when changing the vertical position of the ball, can direct the flight of the ball in one direction or in the other. The strength of the wind is usually strong in the higher layers of the atmosphere, so pilots can partially control the speed of the flight.

Although even the most experienced pilots cannot fully control the direction of the balloon's flight. Usually, wind conditions give the pilot little choice. In rare cases, the ball can return to the starting point. Therefore, flying a balloon is usually improvised according to existing weather conditions.

For this reason, the balloon is always accompanied by a ground crew, who later help the balloon descend, collect equipment and passengers.

Descent

Even during the flight, the pilot plans in advance where he will descend. The team on the ground is informed about this by telephone or by radio communication.

As a rule, no special requirements apply to the landing site. It is important that it is large enough for the safe descent of the balloon, and that the descending balloon does not cause damage to the owners of the land. If the wind is not strong, the balloon can descend in a normal stadium. If the wind is stronger, the pilot looks for a larger area.

Experienced pilots know how to land the balloon in such a way that contact with the ground is almost not felt. The team on the ground also helps to land the ball. However, when big wind the descent of the balloon can be "hard". The pilot, even before the flight, instructs passengers on how to behave during a “hard” descent. For many passengers, this descent is the most fun part of the flight.

As a rule, pilots try to descend near the road so that an accompanying car can drive up. However, sometimes the balloon descends on a large meadow. In this case, the ground team and assistants help to move the ball to a better place.

After the pilot opens the canopy valve, air is expelled from the canopy. The ball leans and lies down on the ground. On the ground, the working team completely releases the air and packs the balloon.

The descent process lasts approximately 20 minutes.