[ELI5] how do hot air balloons even work? How do they know where they’re going without steering?

Question

[ELI5] how do hot air balloons even work? How do they know where they’re going without steering?

In: 846

Answer 1

It’s really a combination of knowing (or guessing) which way the wind is blowing at different altitudes (because you can control up and down), and not caring a great deal about exactly where you end up. You’re not going to land at an airport, you’re going to land at a field in northwest Ohio. Not even a particular field sometimes, just any field. Ideally one far away from power lines. And you’ll end up paying a farmer for damaged crops sometimes if you can’t find an empty field.

And sometimes you misread the weather really badly and end up on the evening news.