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How the RE/MAX Hot Air Balloons Work

If you need to get to school, the RE/MAX

hot air balloon is not the vehicle that can

get you there. You cant really steer it, and it

only travels as fast and in the same direction

as the wind. But if you simply want to enjoy

flying there is nothing quite like it. As a

matter of fact, the hot air balloon was thefirst vehicle that took man to the skies.

HOW IT WORKS

e RE/MAX hot air balloon flies on the

basic principle ofbuoyancy. With the

assistance of gravity, buoyancy occurs in a

fluid (and believe it or not, air is fluid) where

the fluid with a greater density (heavier) will

sink to the bottom while fluid that is less

dense (lighter) will rise to the top.

For example: if you put a basketball at the bottom

of a pool, the pressure from that denser (heavier)

water would push the basketball to the top of the

pool where the less dense water exerts less pressure.

AIR LIFTS THE BALLOON

Air works the same way, but it can only

lift something that is lighter then the

air surrounding it, such as hotter air.

Molecules, in the air that are heated

move more quickly and take up more

room which allows for fewer moleculesin the same space. Since there are fewer

molecules in this space the air becomes

less dense, or lighter. is heated air

will continue to rise until it cools to

become the same temperature as the air

surrounding it.

For example: when a fire is burning you s ee the

smoke (dirty air) from the fire rise into the sky

until it cools and levels off.

ABOUT THE BALLOON

is is exactly how the RE/MAX hot air

balloon can fly. As the air inside the balloonis heated it becomes less dense and begins to

rise. e problem is that the air can only rise

so far because it hits the top of the balloon. As

the air is heated more and more it pushes up

on the top of the balloon with greater force

until it lifts the balloonwith it.

e reason the RE/MAX hot air balloons

are so large is because it takes 90,000 cubicfeet (90,000 basketballs) of hot air to lift the

balloon and passengers. When the lift is

being produced the air inside the balloon wil

be about 125 degrees F hotter then the air

surrounding the balloon.

e RE/MAX hot air balloon is made of

a super strong lightweight nylon material

called an envelope. e air inside of the

balloon is heated by the burner which is

fueled by propane that comes from stainless

steel propane tanks found in the wicker

basket where the pilot and passengers ride.

PILOTING THE BALLOON

Even though the control of the balloon is

somewhat simple, it can be often be diffi cult

to master. To lift the balloon the pilot turns

on the burner which produces a large flame

which heats the air inside the balloon. In

order to begin a decent the pilot will pull

on a cord that opens the parachute valve in

the top of the balloon allowing the hot air to

escape cooling the inside of the balloon and

allowing it to sink.

e wind directionand speed vary atdifferent altitudes so the pilots use these

different altitudes to steer the balloon. ese

winds only provide limited steerage so it is

very important for the pilot to do a thorough

pre flight planning before each flight.

Each of the RE/MAX balloons requires a

profes-sionally trained ground crew that

follows the balloon during the flight so they

can assist the pilot and retrieve the balloon

upon landing.

from the World Renowned RE/MAX Balloon Fleet in Texas.

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The heated air moleculesinside the balloon movefaster than the coolermolecules outside. As aresult, the hot air exertsenough pressure to fill theballoon envelope, therebycreating enough buoyancy tolift the balloon.

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Propane Tank

LIQUID PROPANE BURNERTo lift the balloon, the pilot

moves a control that opens upthe propane valve. As the flow

of gas increases, the flamegrows in size, thereby heating

the air inside the envelope.

Propane Burner

Propane Valve

Envelope

Parachute Valve

with Kevlar Cord

RE/MAX Southwest

14905 Southwest Freeway

Sugar Land, Texas 77478

Steve Lombardi

Aviation Director

(832) 321-9017 OFFICE

(281) 455-4223 CELL

(281) 579-2485 FAX

w w w .f lyw i t hsteve . c o m

For more information about theRE/MAX hot air balloon and how theywork you can visit remax-texas.com.

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How the RE/MAX Hot Air Balloons

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