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## Support Equipment 

Standard support equipment for ballooning includes an inflation fan, transport/chase vehicle, and small miscellaneous items, such as igniters, drop lines, gloves, spare parts, and helmets. 

## Inflation Fans 

The inflation fan is one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment in ballooning.  [Figure 2-12] Keep this fact in mind when purchasing and operating any inflation fan. Fan blades have been known to shatter or break, throw rocks at high velocity, and inadequate cages or guards fail to protect fingers and hands. Any fan considered for purchase by a prospective pilot should be evaluated for potential safety hazards. Also, remember that the blade spinning at high revolutions per minute (rpm) generates a significant gyroscopic effect. Fans should not be moved while running. If the fan must be moved, it should be shut off, repositioned, and restarted. 

Fans come in different styles and sizes. Personal finances, style of inflation, and size of the balloon determines the best fan. Points to consider in selecting a fan are: 

• Weight—someone has to lift the fan into and out of the transport vehicle. Wheels help one person move the fan, but they add to the weight and are not helpful on soft ground. One person can carry a small fan, but a larger fan may require two people. 

• Safety—fan blades today can be wood, aluminum, fiberglass, or composite, with wood being the most popular. Wood or aluminum blades designed specifically for balloon fan use are best. The fan should 

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have a cowling of fiberglass or metal because a cage or grill alone is not sufficient to stop rocks or pieces of blade from being thrown. 

• Transport—available space in a pickup truck, the back of a van, or on a trailer may determine the size of the fan. 

• Cubic feet per minute (CFM)—fan blade design, duct design, and engine speed determine the amount of air moved in a given time. Do not confuse engine size with CFM. Larger engines do not necessarily push more air. The volume of air moved is primarily a function of blade design and performance. Moving a high volume of air is not necessarily the ultimate goal in fan performance. Some people prefer a slower cold inflation to accommodate a thorough preflight inspection. 

• Fuel—gasoline degrades in storage. Do not store gasoline in the fan due to fire hazard and the formation of varnish, which can clog fuel passages. 

• Fanmaintenance—agoodfanrequireslittlemaintenance and should be easy to maintain. Check the oil periodically and change it once a year. Check hub bolts and grill screws for tightness on a regular basis. 

## Transport/Chase Vehicle 

Balloon ground transportation varies. [Figure 2-13]  The most common vehicles are a van with the balloon carried inside, a pickup truck with the balloon carried in the bed, or a van or pickup truck with a small trailer (flatbed or covered). Some considerations in selecting a transport/chase vehicle are: 

• Finances—if costs are an issue, a trailer hitch on the family sedan and a small flatbed trailer may work just fine. 

• Convenience—for ease of handling the balloon, a small flatbed trailer low to the ground makes the least lifting demands on the pilot and crew. One consideration is that volunteer crew members may have little or no experience in backing a small trailer. 

• Number of crew members—if the number of crew members is small, handling the balloon should be made as easy as possible. If the number of crew members is large, the size of the chase vehicle and other factors may be more important. 

• Storage—some balloonists, who do not have room for inside storage and want security on the road, choose an enclosed trailer. If an enclosed trailer is used for storage of the balloon, the trailer should be a light color to help reduce the heat inside. Keeping the trailer cool keeps the tank pressure within reasonable limits (so as not to aggravate a potential fuel leak), and reduces the vaporization of gasoline in the fan tank (the fumes 

