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These Aircraft are sometimes called "Cloud Hoppers or "Cloudhoppers." However, these terms formally refer to the products of a particular manufacturer, specifically Lindstrand Balloons . Nonetheless, "Cloudhopper" is used by many people as a Genericized Trademark , which refers to all craft of this general type. In more careful usage, "hopper" is the generic term. Most hopper balloons have envelopes that range in volume from 14,000 to 35,000 cubic feet (400 to 1000 m3) and have a maximum flight duration of 1 to 1.5 hours. The two principal commercial balloon manufacturers today offering hopper balloons for sale are Cameron Balloons and Lindstrand Balloons . Most other hopper balloons are Experimental Aircraft designed and built by amateur constructors. HISTORY The first modern hot air balloon was flown by Ed Yost under sponsorship by the U.S. Office Of Naval Research on October 22, 1960, in Bruning, Nebraska. Since Yost's balloon had a small envelope of 31,000 cubic feet (900 m3) and a chair for the pilot, not a basket, this was arguably also the first hopper balloon ever flown. CLOUDHOPPER The name Cloudhopper is often used to refer to a one-person hot air balloon in which the pilot sits in a harness or small seat. A propane tank is often located behind the pilot's back, and the burner is mounted on a frame above the pilot's head. A common design aspect is the ability to swivel the pilot's harness independently of the hot air balloon envelope, to permit visibility in all directions while in flight. The term "Cloudhopper" was originally coined and trademarked by British balloonist Colin Prescot. The development of the Cloudhopper was carried out by Per Lindstrand of Colt Balloons in 1979. Colt Balloons later merged with Thunder Balloons to form Thunder & Colt Balloons, which inherited the Cloudhopper name. Finally, Per Lindsrtand left Thunder & Colt to form his own Lindstrand Balloons, which manufactures the present-day Cloudhopper. Shortly after the team at Colt built and flew its first Cloudhopper, Cameron Balloons came up with its own backpack-style balloon, called the SkyHopper. Its main distinguishing feature was a twist-grip mounted on an arm rest to control the burner. On the original Colt Cloudhopper, as well as all modern-day Cloudhopper designs, the burner controls are mounted at the bottom of the burner, like on regular passenger-carrying hot air balloons. HOPPER TRIVIA
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