EnvelopeThe fabric bag that holds the hot air. It is usually of ripstop nylon or Dacron. Hot air is less dense than the air round it, so the balloon rises.
Deflation portThe opening at the top, sealed by a panel. On many balloons it is a parachute top. The pilot opens it partly to cool the balloon, and fully to deflate it after landing.
MouthThe open bottom of the envelope. The burner blows hot air in here. It is also called the throat.
BurnerThe propane heater that makes the hot air. The pilot fires it to climb.
BasketThe wicker basket that carries the pilot, passengers, fuel tanks and instruments. Wicker flexes, which cushions a landing.
The envelope: 6 4
GoreOne of the long vertical panels that make the envelope. They are sewn side by side. They are named gores because they taper.
Vertical load tapesStrong webbing sewn from top to bottom. The cables pass the weight of the basket to them.
Horizontal load tapesStrong webbing sewn round the envelope, reinforcing the gores.
Crown lineA rope tied to the top of the envelope. The ground crew hold it to help fill the balloon and to lay it down when it is deflated.
Mouth, burner and basket: 7 4
SkirtThe fabric below the mouth. It is coated to resist fire so the burner's flame does not catch it. It is also called a scoop.
CablesThey hang the burner frame and basket from the envelope. These steel or Kevlar lines pass their weight to the load tapes.
Support polesThe poles or rods above the basket that hold up the burner. They pass the basket's weight to the cables.
Fuel tanksThe tanks of liquid propane, carried in the basket. Hoses join them to the burner.
How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-27. Federal Aviation Administration, Balloon Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-11B), https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/balloon_flying_handbook : chapter 2, figure 2-3 (deflation port, envelope, horizontal and vertical load tapes, skirt or scoop, mouth or throat, crown line, basket, heating system) and its text (envelope of ripstop nylon or Dacron cut into gores; load tapes; steel or Kevlar cables pass basket loads to the load tapes; the fire-resistant skirt; the deflation port and parachute top, opened partly to cool the balloon; propane burners, fuel tanks and hoses; the wicker basket and the poles that support the burner); chapter 7 (the crown line in deflation); glossary (crown line, deflation panel, heater, mouth, parachute top, suspension lines). Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-27. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work
How it works
To label the parts of a hot air balloon, write a name on the line for each number: 1 to 5 on the fabric, 6 on the rope, 7 to 13 from the open bottom down to the basket.
Read the full guide
Hot air balloon word bank
In alphabetical order, to copy onto the board: basket, burner, cables, crown line, deflation port, envelope, fuel tanks, gore, horizontal load tapes, mouth, skirt, support poles, vertical load tapes.
The numbers that get swapped
1 is the whole fabric bag; 2 is one long panel of it, between two of the dark lines. 3 and 4 are both webbing: 3 ends on a line that runs from top to bottom, 4 on one that runs round the balloon. 7 is the upper dark oval, the opening at the bottom of the bag; 8 is the band of fabric between the two ovals. 9 ends on a thin line beside the flame, 11 on an upright pole over the basket.
When marking, suspension lines is right on line 9, and apex line or top handling line on line 6.
Start from has a first sheet: envelope, deflation port, mouth, burner and basket.
The flame is drawn, but has no number.
Questions and answers
Can you steer a hot air balloon?
Not like other aircraft. A balloon travels with the wind and cannot be driven through the air. Many balloons have turning vents, which turn the balloon about its vertical axis so the pilot can line the basket up for landing.
When was the first hot air balloon flight?
The first recorded free flight with people aboard, one not held by a rope, was on November 21, 1783. Two men flew in a hot air balloon developed by the Montgolfier brothers of France.
What shape is a hot air balloon?
The traditional shape is a teardrop, the one on this worksheet. A balloon built in any other shape is called a special shape balloon.
Is a hot air balloon basket called a gondola?
The FAA's Balloon Flying Handbook calls it a basket. In its glossary a gondola belongs to a gas balloon: the part that carries the pilot, passengers, cargo, ballast and instruments.
Does the hot air balloon worksheet have an answer key?
Yes. The key prints the balloon with its numbers and lists the thirteen names in order, envelope first and basket last.