[ott.general] Science of Hot Air Balloons

hwt@bwdlh490.BNR.CA (Henry Troup) (06/27/91)

Source: an article in an issue of Threads magazine (a sewing & textile
publication) about two years ago.  Medium memory, okay?


|>weight of ballon
|>weight of basket including ballast?

I've seen a basket close up, and it's rattan or bamboo over steel tubing.
The basket looked to be pretty light, but 100-200 pounds.  About 3 x 5 feet.
The basket looks like this in profile:


    /-----\
   /       \
   |        |
   |xxxxxxxx|
   |xxxxxxxx|
 
|>weight of payload(people and supplies)
|>material of ballon

ripstop nylon, usually.  The balloon is sewn in triangular gores, with 
nylon stress tapes (like webbing) sewn along every seam.  Funny shaped 
balloons are also in gores.

|>volume of ballon
|>average temperature of ballon skin
|>temperature at top of ballon
|>How are they suspended

All of the nylon stress tapes come to the steel arch of the basket.  I'm
not clear on how the burner is attached, though.

Cross-posting to rec.aviation with an ott distribution
             
Henry Troup - HWT@BNR.CA (Canada) - BNR owns but does not share my opinions