Balloons: Aviation?

[PhilDernerJr]

I was reading some of the new rules over on Airliners.net about how they are officially accommodating Balloon and Space photography. It sounds good to me, but it got me thinking.

Now, to say that "Airliners.net is a site only for aviation photography" is technically an assumption. They can be a photo database for whatever kind of photography they choose and define from there. Clearly, the "airliner" domain does not limit them just to airliners. However, I feel that "aviation" photography in general is the agreed upon category for the site's photo submissions.

However, I don't understand the balloon thing. I don't know how you folks would define aviation, but to me, just going into the air does not make it a craft of aviation if you can't steer it. As for as I'm concerned, and I'm not mocking it, hot-air balloons pertain as much to aviation as catapults.

I was trying to think of the definition of aviation. At first I thought that a craft of aviation would have to have wings, but I imagined something like a flying saucer, which doesn't have wings, but I still consider that aviation, so that's out. Then I thought that it would require propulsion, but then that would rule out gliders, and I do think that's aviation. However, all of those have two things in common....control and aerodynamic lift.

Going by my definition, Hot Air Balloon are not crafts of aviation.

Just my opinion. What's yours? How would you define a craft of aviation, and would a Hot Air Balloon be considered one?

[engine46]

If you need a certificate to fly it, it should be fair game.

Hot air balloon = lighter than air
Glider = glider

[adam613]

I'm not sure I'd consider flying a hot air balloon to be aviation. It's kinda borderline...you do have some control, but only over altitude. And it certainly does lift heavier-than-air objects into the sky...

But balloons have potential for some crazy good photography, and I'm all for that...

[Alex T]

By Definition an Aircraft is any vehicle or an object that can sustain lift in the air by any source of power.

By that a Balloon or a Hot Air Balloon is an Aircraft by definition and would theoretically fall under Aviation.

It is of course up to anyones opinion, but my HS Class debated this in my aviation class and the teacher claimed the defintion I said above.

Alex

[T-Bird76]

Well by official definition a hot air balloon isn't an aviation machine according to Websters. However I think there is a place for them online because it does take to flight under the basic controls of man. In many ways I compare hot air balloons and powered aircraft to a power boat and a sail boat. The principles are the same, one is powered by a motor the other relies on air to move it about. When one goes boating they are using a power boat, when one goes sailing they are using a sail boat. Sort of like saying Ballooning and flying.

[PhilDernerJr]

Now THIS I can understand being allowed in:

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6137433

[adam613]

Now THIS I can understand being allowed in:

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6137433

I saw that pic the other day...one of my favorites!

[Idlewild]

In a way hot air balloons beat the Wright Brothers for powered flight. True they couldn't be steered, never the less a cockpit and a engine supplying lift went up in the air close to two hundred years before the Wright Brothers.

[dimamo1983]

but I imagined something like a flying saucer, which doesn't have wings, but I still consider that aviation, so that's out.

Now that made me think which livery would look good on a flying saucer? Delta, anyone? :roll: