Nomex: Elevating Hot Air Ballooning to New Heights!

Hot Air Balloons – Those amazing machines that allow you to effortlessly soar above the clouds. Either as an adventure sport or simply as a recreational activity, hot air ballooning is gaining worldwide popularity.

So, what do hot air balloons have to do with Nomex? Quite a lot. Whilst the envelope of the hot air balloon is made of nylon fabric, the inlet of the balloon, which is closest to the burner flame, is made from Nomex. The reason is obvious – Nomex is one of the most fire-resistant and rugged materials around.

When you’re at 10,000 feet in the air, the last thing you want is a sudden breeze blowing the flame towards the envelope material and causing the material to catch fire. So, whilst you can’t control the breeze, you can control what material you use in the envelope. And that’s why, Nomex, one of the most fire-resistant of materials, is used.

Additionally, it’s not just the envelope which is made of Nomex. Even the pilot’s clothing is made of Nomex as he is always close to the flame and hence susceptible to catching fire. Wearing Nomex gloves allows the pilot to quickly shut off a valve in the case of a leak, even if the valve is engulfed in a flame.

Some hot air balloon operators even demand that all passengers in the balloon wear Nomex-based protective clothing. Such is the trust placed in Nomex.

So next time when you hop onto a hot air balloon, you may want to pause and look around you to see and appreciate the role that Nomex has played in making your ride as safe as possible.

Hatim Dielectrics is an authorized distributor of Du Pont’s Nomex Papers. The company also supplies its products to various OEMs in India and abroad.

Nomex^® is a registered trademark of DuPont^™