Frequently Asked Questions
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Q: How big is "Morning Surprise"?
A: "Morning Surprise" is a V-77, which means that it holds 77,500 cubic feet of air inside of it's envelope.
Q: How high is it from the basket to the top (crown)?
A: About 6 stories... (63 feet)
Q: What is it's diameter?
A: At it's widest part in the center (the equator), "Morning Surprise" is 55 feet wide.
Q: How much does the whole package weigh?
A: The entire balloon, basket, and tanks total up to about 600 pounds.
Q: How much weight can the balloon actually lift?
A: The total Gross Weight that the balloon is able to lift is about 1400 pounds. (incl. passengers, the basket, tanks, etc.)
Q: What is the typical temperature inside the balloon?
A: While flying, the temperature varies, but a common temperature at the top can be found around 200 to 250 degrees.
Q: How much (and what kind) of fuel do you carry?
A: "Morning Surprise" carries two 15-gallon tanks of Liquid Propane as it's fuel.
Q: How long does a flight last?
A: Many factors depend on the length of a flight, but on average, a flight is usually about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.
Q: How hot is the burner?
A: The burner sends out 15 million BTU's of heat each time it is fired. (Equal to about 500 BBQ grills burning all at once!)
Q: How many people can fly in "Morning Surprise's" basket?
A: The total occupancy limit for the basket is 3 passengers, plus the Pilot. (depending on weight of the passengers.)
Q: How high can it fly?
A: Technically, in some airspaces and special conditions, a balloon can fly up to 18,000 feet. Although most pilots will fly much lower than that. An average "Morning Surprise" flight typically varies from ground level to around 2000 feet.
Q: What type of instruments are carried on-board?
A: There are 5 instruments in the basket of "Morning Surprise": (1) a Variometer - which measures the rate of climb/descent, (2) an Altimeter - which measures altitude of the balloon, (3) a Pyrometer - which measures the air temperature at the top of the envelope, (4) a GPS receiver - to measure direction of travel, speed, etc., and (5) Fuel Gauges - to measure how much propane is left in the tanks.