| If you've ever been up early on a clear summer | | | | in lightweight cylinders in the basket. Burners ignite |
| morning, you may have had the privilege of seeing a | | | | the compressed propane which heats the air in the |
| brightly colored hot air balloon floating gently in the | | | | envelope of the balloon. The envelope is the "balloon" |
| air. This balloon is the oldest man-made flight | | | | part of the apparatus. The envelope is constructed |
| technology in existence. It is believed that the earliest | | | | of nylon gores. The gores are made up of a number |
| type of it was a floating lantern built by the Chinese | | | | of small panels. When the pilot of the balloon wants it |
| in the early part of the 3rd century. The first clearly | | | | to rise, he opens up a propane valve to increase gas |
| recorded manned flight took place in 1783 in France. | | | | flow. If the pilot wants to balloon to descent, he pulls |
| Today it is still used as a means of transportation, | | | | a cord to open a parachute valve at the top of the |
| but mostly for pleasure. Yet, despite the thousands | | | | balloon. This allows some of the hot air to escape, |
| of years of history, many people still don't know how | | | | allowing the balloon to descend. Pilots maneuver the |
| a hot air balloon works. | | | | balloon by catching directional air currents. With these |
| They work on one of the most basic of scientific | | | | simple principles, the oldest man-made flight |
| principles: warmer air rises in cooler air. Modern hot air | | | | technology continues to transport people through the |
| balloons burn propane to heat the air, which is stored | | | | air. |