In recent years, low-altitude tourism has been booming in China. Compared with other light aircraft and helicopters, hot air balloons have a better experience and have won the favor of many consumers. However, the hot air balloon accidents that have occurred one after another this year have made people a little more worried as they look forward to chasing romance and overlooking the beautiful scenery.
Are hot air balloons safe? How to ensure the safety of hot air balloon flight? These issues have become a topic of concern.
Hot air balloon safety accidents occurred one after another
On November 30, a staff member slipped from the rope and fell to the ground on a hot air balloon in Tengchong Volcanic Geopark, Yunnan.
The staff member fell rapidly from the rope of the rising hot air balloon. More than 10 seconds later, he slipped from the rope and fell heavily to the ground. Seeing this scene, the citizens present screamed...
The staff of Tengchong Emergency Management Bureau responded: "At 11:30 noon today, the club staff were collecting the hot air balloon. Due to the wind, this The hot air balloon was blown up again by the wind. A ground staff member did not let go in time, and was carried into the air by the wind, and then fell. There was no one in the gondola, but the staff member had no time to let go when it was collected. It was taken into the air and is now being verified and dealt with. Our relevant staff have gone down and are investigating. The tourists have been evacuated and are still waiting for processing."
A staff member of the Tengchong Cultural Tourism Bureau said: A working group has been set up in the park. , the Emergency Management Bureau and the local township government began to handle the matter, and related aftermath matters are being handled.
At present, the project involved has been suspended, and the aftermath and investigation of the accident are still in progress. This is not the first time this year that an incident like
has happened.
On October 2, a part-time college student unfortunately fell from a hot air balloon and died at the Youyi Manor hot air balloon flight camp in Zhuzhou, Hunan.
On October 7, while performing a hot air balloon flight in the Bailucang Scenic Area in Xi'an, the staff encountered a sudden strong gust of wind. The ground staff were taken away. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the end.
Is hot air balloon flight safe?
If you want to know whether hot air balloon flying is safe, let’s first understand its basic common sense.
1. Hot air balloon is the earliest flying tool
The famous "Kongming Lantern" in ancient China is the earliest prototype of hot air balloon. At that time, Zhuge Liang was trapped in Pingyang and could not send troops out of the city to ask for help. One day, he accurately calculated the direction of the wind, and then released a floating paper lantern with a message for help tied to it, and he escaped from danger. So later generations called this kind of lantern "Kongming Lantern". This is the pioneer of hot air balloons in the world today, and it also shows the superb wisdom of the ancient Chinese.
In 1783, the French Montgolfier brothers were inspired by the Chinese Kongming Lantern and developed the world's first hot air balloon. The first manned launch of a hot air balloon was achieved in Paris. This flight preceded the Wright brothers' plane flight by 120 years.
Today, hot air ballooning is becoming increasingly popular as a sport. It once set a record of rising to a height of 34,668 meters.
2. The composition and operating principle of a hot air balloon
A hot air balloon is mainly composed of three parts: a balloon, a hanging basket and a heating device. The balloon is made of reinforced nylon (some hot air balloons are made of polyester), and although it is lightweight, it is very strong. The hanging basket is made of woven rattan and can cushion the impact when landing. Hot air balloons usually use propane or liquefied petroleum gas as fuel, and the gas cylinder is fixed in the basket. Generally, a hot air balloon can carry 80 kilograms of liquid fuel. The
sphere connects experimental equipment, fuel and manned baskets through nylon ropes and stainless steel cables. The heater is located above the hanging basket close to the air inlet of the sphere. When the hot air balloon takes off, air is blown into the sphere by a ground blower. When the ball is almost filled with air, the heater heats the air in the ball, thereby generating buoyancy to drive the hanging basket into the air.
heaters usually have emergency nozzles. When the hot air balloon urgently needs to climb over ground obstacles, turn on the emergency switch, and the flame will immediately increase, causing the hot air balloon to rise rapidly.
In recent years, low-altitude tourism has been booming in China. Compared with other light aircraft and helicopters, hot air balloons have a better experience and have won the favor of many consumers. However, the hot air balloon accidents that have occurred one after another this year have made people a little more worried as they look forward to chasing romance and overlooking the beautiful scenery.
Are hot air balloons safe? How to ensure the safety of hot air balloon flight? These issues have become a topic of concern.
Hot air balloon safety accidents occurred one after another
On November 30, a staff member slipped from the rope and fell to the ground on a hot air balloon in Tengchong Volcanic Geopark, Yunnan.
The staff member fell rapidly from the rope of the rising hot air balloon. More than 10 seconds later, he slipped from the rope and fell heavily to the ground. Seeing this scene, the citizens present screamed...
The staff of Tengchong Emergency Management Bureau responded: "At 11:30 noon today, the club staff were collecting the hot air balloon. Due to the wind, this The hot air balloon was blown up again by the wind. A ground staff member did not let go in time, and was carried into the air by the wind, and then fell. There was no one in the gondola, but the staff member had no time to let go when it was collected. It was taken into the air and is now being verified and dealt with. Our relevant staff have gone down and are investigating. The tourists have been evacuated and are still waiting for processing."
A staff member of the Tengchong Cultural Tourism Bureau said: A working group has been set up in the park. , the Emergency Management Bureau and the local township government began to handle the matter, and related aftermath matters are being handled.
At present, the project involved has been suspended, and the aftermath and investigation of the accident are still in progress. This is not the first time this year that an incident like
has happened.
On October 2, a part-time college student unfortunately fell from a hot air balloon and died at the Youyi Manor hot air balloon flight camp in Zhuzhou, Hunan.
On October 7, while performing a hot air balloon flight in the Bailucang Scenic Area in Xi'an, the staff encountered a sudden strong gust of wind. The ground staff were taken away. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the end.
Is hot air balloon flight safe?
If you want to know whether hot air balloon flying is safe, let’s first understand its basic common sense.
1. Hot air balloon is the earliest flying tool
The famous "Kongming Lantern" in ancient China is the earliest prototype of hot air balloon. At that time, Zhuge Liang was trapped in Pingyang and could not send troops out of the city to ask for help. One day, he accurately calculated the direction of the wind, and then released a floating paper lantern with a message for help tied to it, and he escaped from danger. So later generations called this kind of lantern "Kongming Lantern". This is the pioneer of hot air balloons in the world today, and it also shows the superb wisdom of the ancient Chinese.
In 1783, the French Montgolfier brothers were inspired by the Chinese Kongming Lantern and developed the world's first hot air balloon. The first manned launch of a hot air balloon was achieved in Paris. This flight preceded the Wright brothers' plane flight by 120 years.
Today, hot air ballooning is becoming increasingly popular as a sport. It once set a record of rising to a height of 34,668 meters.
2. The composition and operating principle of a hot air balloon
A hot air balloon is mainly composed of three parts: a balloon, a hanging basket and a heating device. The balloon is made of reinforced nylon (some hot air balloons are made of polyester), and although it is lightweight, it is very strong. The hanging basket is made of woven rattan and can cushion the impact when landing. Hot air balloons usually use propane or liquefied petroleum gas as fuel, and the gas cylinder is fixed in the basket. Generally, a hot air balloon can carry 80 kilograms of liquid fuel. The
sphere connects experimental equipment, fuel and manned baskets through nylon ropes and stainless steel cables. The heater is located above the hanging basket close to the air inlet of the sphere. When the hot air balloon takes off, air is blown into the sphere by a ground blower. When the ball is almost filled with air, the heater heats the air in the ball, thereby generating buoyancy to drive the hanging basket into the air.
heaters usually have emergency nozzles. When the hot air balloon urgently needs to climb over ground obstacles, turn on the emergency switch, and the flame will immediately increase, causing the hot air balloon to rise rapidly.
Hot air balloons are not really "piloted", they move with the wind, and the height of the hot air balloon usually reaches several kilometers. However, since the wind has different directions and speeds at different altitudes, the pilot can choose the appropriate altitude according to the direction required for flight. The maximum descending speed of a hot air balloon is 6 meters/second and the maximum ascending speed is 5 meters/second.
3. Once listed as the safest aircraft
Hot air ballooning has multiple functions such as aviation sports competitions, adventure, leisure, aerial photography, high-altitude operations, weather detection, tourism, aerial advertising, youth science education, etc. It is a kind of sport abroad. A popular sport, it is still a new sport in China.
Hot air balloons fly at low altitudes and at slow speeds, so it is relatively safer to wait. The International Aeronautical Federation has also classified hot air balloons as the safest aircraft. Judging from the data alone, the safety factor of hot air balloons is also quite high. However, because it is driven by sight, there is no automatic operation of instruments, and it is greatly affected by human influence. In addition, it is also affected by many factors such as weather, wind speed, equipment, fuel, and operation. There are also uncertainties in safety factors.
Inspect whether it is safe. Three key conditions
Before choosing a hot air balloon flight, you must understand these three key conditions.
1. Is the club’s qualification equipment qualified?
In China, operating hot air balloon sightseeing projects requires qualification certification from the China Aerospace Association, airspace approval, and strict operational management of the flight process. They will require pilots to wear special flight suits when operating hot air balloons, and also Wear heat-insulated and fire-resistant gloves.
will be required to check the flight equipment before each flight to ensure there is sufficient fuel. During the flight, professional safety consultants will provide safety explanations to passengers. After the flight, the equipment will be regularly maintained.
In addition, the service life of a hot air balloon is basically 9 years and must be inspected annually and sequentially.
These details are important guarantees for flight safety. Therefore, if you want to experience this sport, you must choose a formal company with mature operations and qualifications!
2.Do pilots have licenses?
Pilots must undergo professional training and be tested by the relevant person in charge of the aviation authority before they can obtain a driver's license, and the driver's license must be reapplied every five years.
Pilot’s License
3. Is the weather suitable?
A hot air balloon is an aircraft that relies on its own buoyancy to fly. Its course and flight speed depend entirely on the local wind direction and wind speed at the altitude. It has no ability to actively change its course, and the efficiency of adjusting the flight altitude is low. Therefore, real-time meteorological information guarantee, obstacles in the flight airspace and site conditions for takeoff and landing are directly related to flight safety.
There are only two periods of the day that are most suitable for hot air balloon flying, one is sunrise in the morning, and the other is before sunset in the evening. The weather during this period is relatively calm, especially the wind is gentle and the airflow is stable. Because the wind changes frequently or the wind volume is very high, it will affect the flight of the hot air balloon and is an unsafe factor. According to regulations, if a hot air balloon wants to fly freely, the wind speed must be less than 6 meters/second, the visibility must be higher than 1.5 kilometers, and there must be no weather phenomena such as precipitation or snowfall.
How passengers can protect themselves
Professionals remind you that you should fully consider weather, physical and other factors when going to play amusement projects, and do not have blind entertainment.
1. Try to wear cotton fabrics, long clothes, long trousers, and sports shoes. Skirts, high heels, sandals, etc. are not suitable.
2. When the hot air balloon is ignited and takes off, tourists should follow the pilot's instructions, be mentally prepared, and hold on to the gondola.
3. The best time to fly is within two hours after sunrise or two hours before sunset, because the airflow is the most stable during this period. It is not suitable to fly a hot air balloon in windy or rainy weather.
4. If the gondola is narrow, in order not to affect the pilot's operation, the experiencer should try to stand aside and avoid touching the relevant equipment in the gondola.
5. The structure of the hot air balloon is very special. Even if the flames suddenly go out, the hot air balloon will not fall rapidly, but will fall to the ground very slowly. As long as the passengers don't panic, follow the pilot's instructions, and wait for the hot air balloon to land naturally.
6. Equipped with GPS global positioning system, walkie-talkie and other security and communication equipment.
7. Patients with high blood pressure and heart disease cannot engage in hot air ballooning.
8. Children who need to be held in the hand are not allowed to ride in hot air balloons for safety reasons
Cover news Hu Liping comprehensive China Aviation News, Spring City Evening News, Zhongguancun Online, etc.
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6. Equipped with GPS global positioning system, walkie-talkie and other security and communication equipment.
7. Patients with high blood pressure and heart disease cannot engage in hot air ballooning.
8. Children who need to be held in the hand are not allowed to ride in hot air balloons for safety reasons
Cover news Hu Liping comprehensive China Aviation News, Spring City Evening News, Zhongguancun Online, etc.
[If you have news clues, please report it to us. Once adopted, there will be a fee reward. Follow us on WeChat for reporting materials: ihxdsb, QQ for reporting materials: 3386405712】
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