How is the balloon inflated?
The balloon envelope is laid out and spread on the ground and the cables are connected to the basket which is laid on its side. Crew members hold the mouth of the balloon open as an inflator fan blows cold air into the balloon. When the balloon is just about full of cold air, the pilot lights the propane burners at the basket and heats up this air which causes the balloon to stand upright. The passengers then board and the balloon is heated up until you are rising gently into the sky! This process takes about 15-20 minutes depending upon the size of the balloon.
When the time comes to put the balloon up, the envelope is removed from the bag and laid out in a long line. The burners are attached to the uprights, and the basket is attached to the cables on the bottom of the envelope. An engine driven fan is used to inflate the envelope with cold air. When partially inflated, the air is heated by a burner and the envelope rises above the basket. With further heating, there is sufficient ‘lift’ for the balloon to fly.
