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"   Brooke Owen Albuquerque, N.M. Age: 35 Years on Job: 14     When hot-air-balloon pilot Brooke Owen goes to a party, he can&amp;#039;t escape work\u2014everyone wants to know what a balloon pilot actually does. &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s an odd job,&amp;quot; admits the 35-year-old, who got his private pilot&amp;#039;s certification at age 21. In the years since, he&amp;#039;s flown balloons shaped like a tire, the space shuttle and the Canadian maple leaf. Now, he&amp;#039;s a chief pilot for Rainbow Ryders, which carries 11,000 passengers each year 2000 feet above the Rio Grande and the Albuquerque area, where they spot mesas, desert foliage and coyotes. But what Owen enjoys most are the tranquility and unpredictability of the journey. &amp;quot;Wherever the wind blows, that&amp;#039;s where you&amp;#039;re going,&amp;quot; he says.  1. Burner System Owen&amp;#039;s balloons have up to four burners that are capable of producing 20 million Btu at 100 psi. The burners heat the air inside the balloon to between 150 and 250 F, giving it the lift to fly.  2. Propane Tanks Three to four 20-gallon steel propane tanks supply the burners with fuel. The vapor pressure in the tanks forces the fuel through a valve to the burners; in cold conditions, Owen adds nitrogen to boost the pressure. 3. Hyperlife Fabric Envelope The top of the balloon is made of silicone-coated nylon. Closer to the burners, it is composed of Nomex, a durable heat- and flame-resistant material. The envelope holds 120,000 cubic feet of air, allowing the balloon to lift approximately 2100 pounds.  4. Flight Instruments Owen&amp;#039;s Flytec system measures interior envelope temperature and includes an altimeter, a rate of climb indicator and a barometer. He uses a Garmin GPS unit to determine his groundspeed and direction of travel. 5. Vent Lines For landings in high wind, Owen uses these lines to open a 30-foot-wide valve in the top of the balloon, deflating it.  6. Gondola System This basket is made of flexible rattan\u2014a wicker used for its durability, flexibility and light weight\u2014that&amp;#039;s woven over a stainless-steel frame. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/a5428/hot-air-balloon-pilot-this-is-my-job/>