Ballooning
Aeronaut Person who pilots or acts as crew-member in an aerostat.
Aerostat A flying machine using a container filled with hot air or gas that is supported by its bouyancy relative to
the air surrounding it.
Airspeed Speed in flight relative to the air surrounding the vehicle. Airplanes and powered dirigibles have air speed.
Hot air balloons, which drift with the wind, have only ground speed.
Airway An air corridor designated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), controlled by Air Traffic Control
(ATC) and marked by radio naviga- tion beacons.
Airworthy The state of being ready to fly.
Altimeter A barometer that measures height above sea level.
Altitude Generally cited as height above sea level, but may be given as height above ground level, abbreviated
A.G.L.
Annual Inspection that must be conducted every 12 months to certify airwor- thiness. Also applies to airplanes.
Apex The top of a balloon.
Approach The act of losing altitude to come to rest on the ground. Also applies to airplanes.
ATC Air Traffic Control. The federal-government-sponsored agency that reg- ulates air traffic, especially in and
around large airports.
Attitude A position relative to the horizon.
Ballast Weights used to maintain a flight altitude. Now seldom found in hot air balloons.
Balloon Lighter-than-air vehicle that obtains its “lift” from hot air or a gas such as hydrogen, helium, or
methane. Also refers to the envelope itself, which contains the air or gas.
Barograph A barometer that shows variations in air pressure as altitude or height above a specific point, on a
paper graph.
Basket Same as gondola.
Blast Off Quick ascent.
Blast Valve A valve control that sends full pressure through the balloon’s burner system, to provide maximum
hot air for lift.
Blimp A nonrigid or semirigid airship.
Burner Heating device that mixes air and butane or propane to produce a hot flame as a heat source for lifting hot
air balloons.
Burner Mount Frame that supports the burner unit in the gondola.
Ceiling The height above ground level of a cloud base.
Champagne Sometimes carried in a gondola to celebrate a first flight, or a solo flight, or sometimes given to a farmer
to placate him for a forced landing in a farm field.
Checklist A list of safety items to check before ascent, to make sure the balloon is airworthy. Also applies to
airplane safety.
Cross-Country Flight Flight between two points.
Crown Same as apex.
Dirigible An aerostat that can be steered.
Downwind Flying in the same direction as the wind is blowing.
Drag Line Line formerly used with dirigibles and blimps. The line was held by crew members on the ground to
prevent premature ascent.
Drift A flight away from a specific target designation, caused by crosswinds along the flight path.
Envelope The fabric part of the balloon, that holds the hot air or gas.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) The federal government agency that regulates air traffic.
Forced Landing Landing accomplished in an emergency situation.
Gondola The lightweight basket that contains the crew and instruments for a flight. Formerly wicker, now usually
aluminum.
Ground Speed The speed of a craft in flight, as measured in relation to miles- per-hour on the ground.
Inflator Gas or electric blower that forces hot air into the balloon envelope on
the ground, to inflate the envelope.
Loft A balloon repair shop.
Lofting The act of landing in which the gondola hits the ground, bounces into the air, then hits the ground again.
Logbook A pilot’s book of all flights taken. Also applies to flying, sky diving, and boating.
North Pole Same as apex.
Preflight Inspection before ascent to check that all parts of the envelope and gondola are airworthy. Also applies
to airplanes.
Pyrometer Device that measures the temperature of air or gas inside the top of the envelope. The pyrometer will
warn if the inside temperature is getting too high—above 250º to 300º (Fahrenheit). Excessive heat will damage the
enve- lope fabric.
Red Line Warning line on a pyrometer that shows when the inside tempera- tures of the envelope are too hot.
Regulator Valve Adjustable valve that controls the fuel flow through the burner system.
Rip Cord A cord that is attached to the balloon envelope, that allows a slit to open to vent hot air or gas, to allow
the balloon to deflate.
Skirt Fabric around the bottom edge of the balloon.
Solo Single flight; flight without passengers.
Suspension Lines Lines that connect the balloon envelope to the gondola.
Temperature Differential Difference between temperature inside the envelope and outside.
Tether Line used to hold a balloon near the ground.
Touch-and-Go Series of landings and takeoffs without a complete stop on the ground.
Variometer Device that measures that rate of rise and descent of a ballon.
Weigh Off Slow ascent of a balloon.