Premodern and unmanned balloons
A precursor of the hot air balloon was the sky lantern (simplified Chinese: 孔明灯; traditional Chinese: 孔明燈). Zhuge Liang of the See more

Generating lift
Increasing the air temperature inside the envelope makes it less dense than the surrounding (ambient) air. The balloon floats because of the … See more

As with aircraft, hot air balloons require regular maintenance to remain airworthy. As aircraft made of fabric and that lack direct horizontal control, hot air balloons may occasionally … See more

• 1989 Alice Springs hot air balloon crash: On 13 August 1989, two hot air balloons collided at Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, causing one to fall, killing all 13 people on board.
• 2011 Somerset hot air balloon crash: On 1 January 2011, a hot … See more

A hot air balloon for manned flight uses a single-layered, fabric gas bag (lifting "envelope"), with an opening at the bottom called the mouth or … See more

To help ensure the safety of pilot and passengers, a hot air balloon may carry several pieces of safety equipment.
Basket
To relight the burner … See more

Depending on the size of the balloon, location, and intended use, hot air balloons and their pilots need to comply with a variety of … See more