Firefly Balloons
Encyclopedia
FireFly Balloons is an American
hot air balloon
manufacturer that started as The Balloon Works (TBW) in 1972 in Statesville, NC. The company is one of the oldest hot air balloon
manufacturers in the United States
, behind Raven Industries
(founded by Ed Yost
), SEMCO and Piccard Balloons
. The origins of the company's designs can be traced to the work of Tracy Barnes in the late 1960s.
s.
The parachute top, which replaced spring tops, explosive tops and inverting envelopes used previously, did much to improve the safety and maneuverability of balloons. Additionally, the T-3 burner offered a modern and high-powered burner with redundant capability in the event of a primary burner failure, in the form of the "Fire 2" jet.
Barnes introduced the distinctive zig-zag envelope to reduce fabric waste and the use of glossy, heat resistant polyester
instead of nylon
for envelopes. This material choice resulted in a higher maximum envelope temperature of 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Barnes also designed a distinctive triangular basket to offer increased volume, tipping resistance and corner stowage of three fuel tanks. Barnes' most significant contribution was in drastically simplifying venting and deflation by inventing the parachute top. Later Barnes would invent the FlexNet Envelope, which prevented the possibility of envelope tears growing beyond a single panel. The type certificates issued to The Balloon Works are still the basis of the popular line of balloons produced by FireFly Balloons. Often, early balloons manufactured by the company are referred to as "Barnes" balloons, however this was never the actual company name. The company's name from 2000 on has been FireFly Balloons.
Tracy Barnes is no longer directly involved with FireFly, instead he presently works on unmanned and advertising blimps through his company The Blimp Works.
Among the characteristic design features of FireFly balloons are:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hot air balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
manufacturer that started as The Balloon Works (TBW) in 1972 in Statesville, NC. The company is one of the oldest hot air balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
manufacturers in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, behind Raven Industries
Raven Industries
Raven Industries is a U.S manufacturer of plastic, electronic, and "special apparel" products established in 1956 to make commercial and recreational hot air balloons. After its establishment the company's product offerings expanded to include items such as large plastic storage containers for use...
(founded by Ed Yost
Ed Yost
Paul Edward Yost was the American inventor of the modern hot air balloon and is referred to as the "Father of the Modern Day Hot-Air Balloon." He worked for a high altitude research division of General Mills when he helped establish Raven Industries in 1956.-Inventor:Born on a farm 7 miles...
), SEMCO and Piccard Balloons
Piccard Balloons
Piccard Balloons, along with Raven Industries , SEMCO, and The Balloon Works , was among the first manufacturers of hot air balloons. Don Piccard, descended from a long line of aeronauts, built and sold some of the first modern hot air balloons, beginning in the mid-1960s...
. The origins of the company's designs can be traced to the work of Tracy Barnes in the late 1960s.
Design and development
Tracy Barnes' designs introduced many of the features found in modern hot air balloonHot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
s.
The parachute top, which replaced spring tops, explosive tops and inverting envelopes used previously, did much to improve the safety and maneuverability of balloons. Additionally, the T-3 burner offered a modern and high-powered burner with redundant capability in the event of a primary burner failure, in the form of the "Fire 2" jet.
Barnes introduced the distinctive zig-zag envelope to reduce fabric waste and the use of glossy, heat resistant polyester
Polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
instead of nylon
Nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station...
for envelopes. This material choice resulted in a higher maximum envelope temperature of 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Barnes also designed a distinctive triangular basket to offer increased volume, tipping resistance and corner stowage of three fuel tanks. Barnes' most significant contribution was in drastically simplifying venting and deflation by inventing the parachute top. Later Barnes would invent the FlexNet Envelope, which prevented the possibility of envelope tears growing beyond a single panel. The type certificates issued to The Balloon Works are still the basis of the popular line of balloons produced by FireFly Balloons. Often, early balloons manufactured by the company are referred to as "Barnes" balloons, however this was never the actual company name. The company's name from 2000 on has been FireFly Balloons.
Tracy Barnes is no longer directly involved with FireFly, instead he presently works on unmanned and advertising blimps through his company The Blimp Works.
Among the characteristic design features of FireFly balloons are:
- Triangular baskets
- Zig-zag (or chevron) patterned envelope gores
- Toggle and loop envelope fasteners
- maXflite silicone coated rip-stop Nylon is now used in envelopes, Polyester was used in older systems.
- Bulbous gores