some use only a few crewmembers. Balloon size, available  crew, weather, location, and personal preference are factors  that determine procedures and number of crewmembers. be long enough to inflate the balloon, and also allow fuel in  the fan’s carburetor to be used, eliminating the likelihood  of gas fumes should the fan be stored in an enclosed space  during transport.  The first burn or blast of the burner should be a short one  to confirm the correct direction of the flame and to check  the readiness of the mouth crew. If they are startled by the  flame or noise and drop the fabric, the short burn prevents  or minimizes damage. To reduce discomfort of the crew,  it is best to inflate the balloon with a series of short burns  and pauses, rather than one continuous blast. Inflate using  standard burns, with short pauses of about 2 or 3 seconds  between burns. The pauses give the fabric and skin a chance  to cool and allow communication between the pilot and the  crew, if necessary. Under some circumstances, contraction  and inflation of the balloon mouth may be seen. Burns should  be timed to match the expansion of the mouth. These mouth  movements are called “breathing”; burns should be timed to  match the open time to avoid damaging the fabric. After the balloon is correctly laid out, place the inflation  fan to the side of the basket within arm’s reach of the pilot,  facing into the center of the envelope mouth, making sure the  fan blades are not in line with the pilot, crew, or spectators.  If the fan is well designed and maintained, it will not move  around or require constant attention during operation. Exact  fan placement depends on the type of fan, burner, and size  of the envelope, as previously discussed. Pump air into the  envelope and not under, over, or to the side of the mouth. A crewmember should be placed at each side of the mouth of  the balloon to lift the material and create an opening for air  to enter the envelope. During cold inflation (i.e., with the fan  only) hold the mouth open wide enough to admit the airflow  from the inflator fan. It is best to inflate the balloon as full as  possible. At a minimum, inflate the balloon to approximately  75 percent full of cold air. Some pilots prefer to inflate the balloon with one long blast  of the burner. The advantage of this type of inflation is that  the balloon inflates a few seconds faster and the mouth  tends to stay fully open during the process. There are several  disadvantages. Voice communication is nearly impossible  due to the noise of the burner. Anyone or anything within a  few feet of the burner may get burned. Also, some burners  could be discolored or damaged by long burns.  As the envelope inflates, the pilot should check to see that  control lines are correctly deployed and the deflation panel  is correctly positioned. This can all be done through or in  the vent or from the top; it is not necessary to walk on the  fabric. During this phase of the inflation, the envelope should  also be checked again for damage that would disqualify the  balloon from flight.  The next step is to continue the burn-and-pause routine until  the balloon is nearly ready to leave the ground. The crew  should be standing by the basket ready to hold the balloon  (“hands on” or “weight on”), in case of a miscalculation,  allowing the balloon to start lifting off the ground before  the pilot is ready. The use of the safety harness prevents  unplanned departures. Once the preflight inspection and cold inflation are complete,  and the pilot is satisfied that the envelope contains enough  ambient air to begin hot inflation, the two crewmembers  at the mouth should hold it open as wide and as tall as  possible to keep the fabric away from the burner flame. The  crewmembers should face away from the burner. At this  point, fan speed may be reduced to approximately one-half  or two-thirds full throttle and the pilot may light the burner’s  pilot lights in preparation for inflation. Before activating  the blast valve, the pilot should make eye contact with each  crewmember at the mouth and make sure each is ready.  Crew readiness is paramount. The crew at the mouth of the  envelope must be aware the burner is about to be used.  Many pilots fail to achieve equilibrium or neutral buoyancy  immediately after inflation. If equilibrium is not achieved, the  balloon is much more susceptible to wind. For example, if the  envelope is not full, a slight wind can cave in a side causing  a spinnaker effect. If the balloon is standing, but not ready  to fly, the pilot has only one option should the balloon start  to move horizontally; the pilot must deflate. If the balloon is  only 5 or 10 seconds of heat away from lifting off, the pilot  has the choice of deflation or launch.  The inflation is the first action of ballooning that requires  a pilot in command (PIC). The inflation should be safe and  efficient. Now, the balloon is almost ready to launch. Allow the fan to run at a reduced speed until the balloon  mouth lifts off the ground and is no longer receiving air. If the  fan is turned off too soon, envelope air comes back out of the  mouth and the backwash distorts the flame at the beginning  and end of each blast. Do not hurry to turn off the fan. Some  pilots elect to shut off the fuel to the inflator fan, which  accomplishes two things. This procedure normally allows  a fan to continue running for about a minute, which should  6-13 The Inflation