How they work

Hot Air Balloons work on the basic principal that "Hot Air Rises", and we use this phenomenon to it's extreme. As the air inside the balloon is heated by the Propane Burner, it rises up, and eventually enough hot air collected inside will overcome the force of gravity keeping it to the ground.

This is considered the point of Neutral Buoyancy. After we reach this threshold, all we need is just a little more heat to make the balloon ascend.

Now let's take a look at the PARTS of a balloon...

Wicker Basket	Or sometimes referred to as the "gondola", is where you will find yourself standing for your balloon ride. Baskets come in all types of shapes and sizes, but most of the baskets that you will see will be made of wicker. Wicker is a lightweight material, but is durable enough to withstand the minor twisting and bending that may occur during a flight.
Propane Tanks	Tank sizes may differ slightly from basket to basket, but the typical size tank is usually 15 gallons of liquid propane. Many balloons will carry at least 2 tanks, totaling 30 gallons of liquid propane in the basket. Flight-time for 30 gallons of propane varies based on balloon size, the weight of the basket/occupants, and ambient air temperature. A "typical" flight may last anywhere from 30 minutes up to 1 1/2 hours, but the Pilot will usually always land before the tanks are completely empty.
Burners	The size, shape, and design of a burner is different, depending on the manufacturer. However, the purpose of a burner is the same on all balloons... to produce a lot of heat. Some burner assemblies will have 2 units, while others will only have 1.
Parachute Cord (Vent Line)	When you go by the principal that balloons rise from trapped hot air, then common sense must also rule that in order for the balloon to descend, you must be able to release that hot air. This is done by pulling the vent line. At the very top of the balloon is a parachute (see "Parachute" defined below). Attached to the parachute is this vent line. When the Pilot wants the balloon to descend, the vent line is pulled, the parachute opens, and hot air escapes, allowing the balloon to drop (safely).
Skirt (Scoop)	The skirt typically serves two main functions: (1) It will act as a guard to block the wind from blowing out your pilot light and/or distorting your flame as you heat the air inside. and (2) It will act as a wind breaker so that in high-winds the horizontally moving air does not create a venturi effect and actually draw hot air out of the bottom of the balloon.
Envelope	The envelope is the very large and colorful fabric portion of the balloon. The envelopes come in a HUGE variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. The main components of the envelope are the Gores, which are the very large sections that extend from the skirt all the way up to the crown (top). The gores are attached to each other with Load Tapes, which extend down and attach to the basket. The smaller sections of nylon, which make up a gore, are called Panels.
Parachute	The parachute is located at the top (crown) of the balloon. It is usually held in place by velcro tabs while the balloon is being inflated, but during flight, the pressure of the hot air at the top keeps the parachute closed. When the Pilot wants to descend, he simply pulls on the vent line, which opens the parachute, and hot air is released out of the top of the balloon.