FireFly baskets have been described as the Cadillac of hot air balloon baskets. From the standard chocolate suede upholstery to built in glove boxes, it's easy to see why. Built with safety and comfort in mind, FireFly has achieved a goal no other manufacturer can claim. Once you start your set-up you'll also notice how easy the FireFly basket is assembled. No tools are needed and all the components clip right into place.
The Hot Air Balloon Carriage is the most complex structure of the entire system and presents the most challenging design problems because of the variety of functions it must serve, some of which include:
- A structure strong enough to carry its certified static and inertial loads safely.
- Secure accommodations for the pilot and passengers during the entire flight experience, from take off to landing.
- Logical and convenient locations for instruments, fuel, plumbing and burner.
- Provide a safe and secure storage area for maps, strikers and tools.
- Flexible, lightweight and well balanced.
- Easy to set-up and inexpensive to maintain and repair.
- Aesthetically pleasing.
 FireFly hot air balloon carriages are woven with a tight, vertical weave, well suited to resisting entanglement in branches or power lines. A finishing urethane coating inside and out ensures the wicker will resist drying out and becoming brittle and protect it from rotting when exposure to moisture. This maintains the wicker's ability to flex, yet still absorb and distribute any shock.
Floor material is a nine ply birch laminate, not only strong, but beautiful. Giving the passenger a strong sense of security and stable footing.
FireFly makes 8 models of triangular hot air balloon ride baskets and 6 rectangular models including 3 with divided compartments.
Triangles
- 3 tank models:- 4.0, 4.5 great for hot air balloon sport and competition
- 4 tank models - 3.9, 4.9 for sport ballooning competition and some passenger carrying
- 6 tank models - S50, 5.0 for the hot air balloon ride operator
- 7 tanks- 5.9 for the serious balloon ride operator
- 9 tanks - 6.0 for the serious hot air ballooning ride operation
Rectangles
- 4 tank models:- 4048, for sport and competition, fits nicely in a pickup truck
- 6 tank models - 4860, 5468 for sport and the smaller ride operator
Rectangular Balloon Ride Baskets
FireFly hot air balloon ride baskets are quite unique. Unlike all other rectangular baskets, the FireFly baskets do not have a stainless steel frame with steel cable suspension. The 6072, 6096 and 60120 have a superstructure made of 2 kinds of extremely strong glass fiber tubing and non-conductive suspension ropes! Filament wound 2 inch glass tubing forms the top rail structure. Triangulated pultruded glass tubing is used in the superstructure and burner supports. This frame is then woven with vertical weave and colorful wicker accents and padded with luxurious suede or smooth leather. The baskets have steps for ease of entry for passengers, interior handholds and lifting straps to allow winching in and out of trailers. The result is an enormously strong, non-conductive basket. The 60 x 72 inch T- partition has 2 passenger compartments each holding 3 or 4 passengers. The 60 x 96 and 60 x 120 baskets have 4 passenger compartments, each holding 3 or 4 passengers. Each basket has a separate pilot compartment with a pilot platform, 2 Mirage burners directly overhead, a cross-over dash panel for ease of fuel management and 6 fuel tanks.
Visit your Firefly dealer and check out what makes a FireFly basket one of the most desirable baskets in the ballooning industry.
|