How Do You Steer a Hot Air Balloon?

A hot air balloon can be controlled very precisely in terms of altitude. It rises and falls using the temperature in the balloon envelope, and an experienced balloon pilot can keep a balloon within 1 meter of altitude for a long time. However, the balloon’s flight direction is solely determined by the wind direction at the balloon’s flying altitude. Therefore, during the planning of a balloon flight, it is very important to know the wind direction and thus the balloon’s flight path. It is only possible for a balloon pilot to decide on a launch site once he knows the wind conditions on the flight day. At different altitudes, there are often variations in both wind direction and speed. The balloon pilot can use these by changing the balloon’s flight altitude and thus influence the flight path. But it’s pretty much impossible to ‘turn around’ and fly back. Simply put, the balloon’s flight direction can be controlled with altitude…