2007 Saga International Balloon Fiesta

Period: October, 31th - November, 4th, 2007

1) Overall structure: An ordinary balloon for 3 to 4 passengers (2200m³) is about 20m high and 17m in diameter. It comprises an envelope, a burner, and a basket. Its ascent is controlled by heating the air inside the envelope with a gas burner.; Conversely, its descent is controlled by lowering the temperature inside the envelope by releasing hot air through the valve at the top of the envelope.

2) Basket & Burner: [A basket]; A basket is the space in which passengers stand. An ordinary basket is about 1.1m high and 1.2m wide. It is made of wicker to absorb the shock of landing.; [The burner]; The burner is the heart of the balloon. Required to supply enough heat to make a giant balloon fly, it is about 150 times stronger than a household gas range. It has two ways of generating energy, in case one fails.; [The cylinder]; The cylinder is the fuel tank which contains LPG.
Usually 3 to 4 cylinders are placed in the basket (one for emergency purposes).
A single cylinder contains 20kg of LPG and enables a balloon to fly for about 30 to 40 minutes.; [Meters]; Meters and gauges like an altimeter, an elevator, a thermometer, and a wireless telephone are placed inside the basket.
Recently more and more GPS systems are also included.