Our Fugger city of Augsburg looks back on a long tradition of ballooning. Today, a distinction is made between hot air balloon rides and gas balloons (also known as tethered balloons). We fly our Augsburg hot air balloon in the city colors and with the Augsburg skyline. We do not operate a commercial gas balloon – with us, you can float over Augsburg in a hot air balloon. Gas balloon flights are rather rare these days – mainly for cost reasons, but also for practical reasons.
We will show you the differences between the two balloon shapes.
Is it possible to fly over Augsburg in a gas balloon?
We only operate hot air balloons – these are easier to launch and can be launched anywhere, as we are not dependent on a fixed gas pipeline. We can launch the balloon from virtually anywhere and thus make better use of the wind so that we can fly directly over Augsburg. More about our balloon flight route. Your advantage: A gas filling for a hot air balloon costs only between EUR 50 and EUR 100, whereas filling a gas balloon costs several hundred euros. This means that gas balloon rides are also more expensive. Advantages of this type of balloon: The lifting power of hydrogen/helium (the former is highly flammable!) allows the pilot to stay in the sky longer.
Hot air balloons are not powered by hydrogen, but use propane gas for lift, which is blown into the balloon in the form of a flame.
A brief history of ballooning in Augsburg
While the Montgolfier brothers launched the first hot air balloon in France in 1783, it wasn't long before hot air balloons were also taking off in Augsburg, albeit initially unmanned. This was followed by attempts by Grüder Baader, Baron von Lütgendorf, and Madame Bittorf in named Montgolfier balloons. While hot air balloons were always used in the early years, gas balloons did not appear until much later. In 1811, Madame Bittendorf became the first person to fly over Augsburg in a balloon. In the years that followed, ballooning was particularly popular with gas balloons. On May 30, 1901, the "Augsburger Verein für Luftschiffahrt e.V." (Augsburg Airship Association) was founded, which has been operating several gas balloons in Gersthofen since 1952 under the name "Freiballonverein Augsburg e.V." (Augsburg Free Balloon Association). Gersthofen is also known today for being home to Germany's only balloon museum.
For a detailed history of ballooning in Augsburg.
Differences between hot air balloons and gas balloons
hot air balloon
- drop shape
- 1,800 cubic meters to 12,000 cubic meters capacity
- Normal travel time 1.5 to 2 hours
- Use propane gas and flame
- Consists of a balloon basket, burner, and nylon or polyester envelope
- Basket available for 2 to 32 people
- Used for recreational flights, but mostly for commercial balloon flights.
gas balloon
- Round shape
- Gas balloons are smaller: 500 to 1,000 cubic meters in volume.
- Trip duration up to 3 days: Long-distance and route trips are possible, as in the Gordon Bennett race.
- Use hydrogen as the lifting gas (possibly also mixed with helium) and sand as ballast for dropping.
- Consists of a balloon basket and envelope made of nylon fabric
- Basket for 2 to 5 people
- Used primarily for balloon flights in clubs, but not for commercial flights.
Advantages and disadvantages of traveling in a hot air balloon and gas balloon
hot air balloon
- Preparation time between 30 and 60 minutes
- Start possible anywhere from a meadow
- Ride with us: 220 EUR per person
- Travel time approx. 1 to 2 hours
- We have 4 to 6 passengers on board.
- driving with a propane burner, which is loud
- Easy landing with a parachute
- Fast ascent and descent possible
gas balloon
- Start preparation very time-consuming
- Start tied to gas pipeline
- Ride very expensive
- Only a few starting places available throughout Germany
- Only a few passengers possible
- can fly longer than a hot air balloon
- drive silently
- Complicated landing with the help of a tow rope and ballast
- Sluggish behavior when rising and falling
How do hot air balloons and gas balloons work?
hot air balloon
- Propane gas is blown into the shell using a burner.
- To ascend, the envelope is heated with the burner, the balloon rises, the temperature
- To descend, either the heating is turned off or the parachute at the top of the balloon is opened.
- During landing, the pilot pulls the parachute to release the air.
- Depending on the outside temperature and the payload, the hot air balloon rises quickly or slowly.
gas balloon
- Hydrogen is fed into the thick balloon envelope via a pipeline.
- At launch, the balloon envelope is often deflated and limp so that the gas can expand.
- To ascend, ballast in the form of sand or water is jettisoned, making the balloon lighter.
- To sink, gas must be released, which is lost.
- During landing, the pilot opens the chute.
- When climbing, the gas expands at higher altitudes; gas can escape through the filling attachment.
- The sun's rays expand the envelope, and at night in the dark, the balloon sinks.
