On Mar 3, 5:46*pm, William Hung wrote:
On Mar 3, 1:20*pm, Ricky wrote:

Hi,

I may have the opportunity to take a ride in a helium balloon this
summer and have a few questions for any gas pilots here.

Opprox. what is the cost of a smaller system new, what is the appox.
cost of fill-up, did you get "hooked" on your first flight, does
maintenance require an A&P (I would guess just an A) and another
question or 2 for a pilot and/or experienced gas balloon crew.

Thanks,

Ricky

I haven't heard of gas balloon pilots, just hot air balloon pilots.
Are there such a thing as gas balloons being piloted? Other than
record setting flights like what Steve Fossett did? *I thought that
gas were used in blimps, airships and weather balloons, and piloted
balloons used hot air heated by propane.

Wil

Gas ballooning is not nearly as popular a sport as hot air but it does
have quite a following. Gas balloons are rather expensive to fill &
operate so the pilot community is limited, I assume, to those able to
afford the endeavor.
Here's a link to a gas balloon site in case you're interested;
http://www.gasballooning.net/
They are registered aircraft with an "N" number (in the U.S.) and the
licensure is controlled by the FAA just like fixed-wing a/c.
I was surprised to learn recently that many gas balloon pilots use
hydrogen as their gas of choice rather than the much more expensive
(and getting harder to obtain) helium.
Flights typically last several hours or even more than a day rather
than an hour or so as in hot air ballooning.
There's a famous annual gas balloon race called the "Gordon Bennett"
which is going to be held at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival this
year. Most larger hot air balloon events have gas balloon
participation.
Flying in a gas balloon is said to be other-worldly fantastic as it is
completely noiseless and totally peaceful. Hot air balloons are a lot
of fun, too & I've had lots of rides & a even a little instruction,
but the serenity of hot air ballooning is necessarily interuptted by
the loud burner.

Ricky