About Michael Gianetti Expertise I am a FAA licensed commercial hot air balloon pilot and hot air balloon pilot instructor. I'm also a certified hot air balloon inspector and repairman, a hot air balloon dealer for new and used balloon systems, and own Colorados oldest and most experienced hot air balloon company. There are many kinds of questions I can answer: what can I expect, how do I dress, how long, how high, how many people, how much, where, etc., etc., etc.? What does it take to get a balloon pilots license? How much does a balloon cost? Is ballooning regulated? How did ballooning get started? What are balloons made of, what kind of fuel do they use, are there different types of balloons, etc., etc., etc.? What kind of weather can balloons fly in? When do balloons fly and why? What about the around the world balloon flights that have been in the news lately? What is a balloon rally? How do balloons race? How do I schedule a balloon ride, get pilot flight instruction, purchase a balloon, get a balloon repaired, etc., etc., etc.?
Expert: Michael Gianetti Date: 3/24/2008 Subject: Propane Cost and Requirements
Question Hi Michael,
I am planning to start a ballooning ride business here in the tropics (Singapore/Malaysia to be exact). I have learnt that humidity, surrounding heat and water (from rain) are a balloon's worst enemies.
Our temperature here can average 36C and when it rains, it can pour very heavily, so the envelope can get really wet while we are packing after landing, will this still hurt the envelop or we need to make sure it is completely dried when pack or unpacked? Or does it actually matter?
Also, what is the safe operating speed of a balloon? The coastal region is usually the best tourists' spots but the wind can be quite unpredictable. Or do we have to settle for an in-land route?
I have always considered the used of propane as the highest of all cost in operating a balloon but the problem is how much propane does one usually use for a balloon that carries from 6 to 12 people? Do we change the canister on every ride because we will finished using it within an hour??? or am I too worried about this cost?
Thanks!
Answer Thanks for your inquiry. It is very important that the balloon envelope is dry when packed. Moisture is very detrimental to the life of the fabric and coating.
Wind is an extremely important consideration when flight planning. If the winds are gusty, landings will be dangerous. If the wind direction is not good, landings could be in areas unsuitable for recovery.
Propane is the best fuel for hot air balloons. I know in some countries, butane is used instead of propane. Typically, you could probably use 40-60 gallons of propane for an hour flight. You always want all the tanks full before each flight to ensure you have enough fuel for a safe flight.
Best of luck,
Michael Gianetti
