Thrill seekers like to live life on the edge; bungee jumping, water rafting and hot air balloon rides are just some of the thrilling activities adrenaline junkies like to experience. But do they ever wonder how they are able to keep trying extreme sports without getting injured?
Hot air balloon rides for example are one of those extreme sports that can’t be explained how they work or why fully, without knowing the full extent of its equipment. Although this may sound like a daunting task, it’s rather interesting to learn how simple physics, and a little bit of man power, can keep a group of people safe while floating high above the ground.
For centuries all different types of Hot air balloon rides balloons have been made, but in different sizes, looks and with different functions. The first contraption that is linked to air balloons is the lantern, which used a small flame to power lightweight material into the sky. This is essentially the basics of how a hot air balloon works! And the physics behind this hasn’t much changed for working balloons today.
Check, Check and Check Again
As air balloon rides can be considered dangerous and thrill-seekers-apply-only type of experience, it’s necessary that pre-flight checks are made before every flight. Like an aeroplane, checks of the exterior and interior are made – although this doesn’t take as long, and the crew are looking for rather different problems as opposed to an empty peanuts packet on the floor.
Tears and rips in the balloon fabric, frayed or damaged baskets and leaking or broken fuel burners are the types of things crews have to look out for. And if any of these are apparent, all air balloon rides are grounded until they are correctly fixed or replaced. But these types of problems don’t occur too often, as the materials used are lightweight but incredibly strong. They have to be, in order to battle the strong winds and potential rain that comes their way.
Safety On Board The Balloon
The Civil Aviation Authority have regulations that all pilots and crew must follow in order for their air balloon rides to be legal. This means they have to follow certain procedures and have specific equipment on board all flights. Fire extinguishers are the most important in case of a fire. When using a hot flame in a small space it’s imperative to have safety equipment in case the burners catch fire.
