Jaimie Barnes
Physics 212x
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STEERING
To move the balloon upwards the pilot
increases the amount of propane to the burner, which which
increases the flame and the buoyant force on the balloon.
To move the balloon downwards the pilot either
decreases the amount of propane to the burner, deceasing the
flame and the buoyant force on the balloon, so that its
altitude decreases. The other way is for the pilot to open the
parachute vent at the top of the envelope to release some of
the hot air in the envelope, again decreasing buoyant force
and the height of the balloon.
To maintain a relatively constant altitude,
the pilot alternates in firing and not firing the propane to
the burner, increasing and decreasing the buoyant force, so
the balloon maintains a relatively stable altitude.
The wind is relied upon to move the balloon
horizontally, the pilot's only control is to move the balloon
up and down into different altitudes where the wind is blowing
in a different direction. However the wind only leaves limited
options, so an exact course of a balloon's flight cannot be
predicted.