A balloon accident killed eight people this Saturday (21) in Praia Grande, Santa Catarina. The case raised questions about the safety of balloon. Practice, however, is considered quite safe, provided all survey rules are met.
According to Ministry of DefenseBalonism is a “legal and regulated sports activity”. The Administration United States Aviation Federal (FAA) classifies ballooning as “the safest form of air transport”, rarely involved in accidents.
According to FAA, one of the reasons that make the balloon quite safe It is the fact that it only fly in ideal conditions, when the weather and the wind are favorable. This avoids, for example, flights in the rain or at night.
How does a balloon work?
Hot air balloons are based on a very basic scientific principle: the warmer air rises in the colder air. Essentially, hot air is lighter than cold air as it has less mass per unit.
This type of balloon uses a flame to heat the inner air, making it less dense than the outer air. This creates a (up) thrust force larger than the weight of the balloon, making it float.
Vehicles of this type still have ballast, often in the form of sandbags, which can be released to help the balloon rise. To get down, the pilot reduces heating, letting the air cool.
In the case of gas balloons, They depend on helium or hydrogen to achieve support. The principle is the same, but instead of heat, they use a lighter gas, stored in the envelope (the canvas that make up the balloon). Pilots can release the gas to go down.
It is important to emphasize that balloons do not have fixed direction and move with the wind. However, the pilot can adjust the altitude to take advantage of different wind currents.
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Unmanned balloons
It is important to differentiate the unmanned balloons from ballooning. According to the Ministry of Defense, the release of unmanned balloons poses a risk to aircraft and homes, as well as being an environmental crime.
The Environmental Crimes Law (Federal Law No. 9.605/98) states that “manufacturing, selling, transporting or releasing balloons that may cause fire to forests and other shapes of vegetation, in urban areas or any type of human settlement” is a crime. The practice is prohibited in Brazil and provides for a penalty of up to three years in prison.
