Balloon Launchers FB15 and FB16A
FEATURES
The key features for the FB15 and
FB16A Balloon Launchers are:
- Transportability, including easy assembly and packing as well as light weight.
- No electricity needed for operation and
no signal cables are required to the
sounding system.
- Operation in high wind speeds up to
20 m/s.
- Can be tied down for operation in high
winds.
- One-man operation.
APPLICATIONS
The FB Balloon Launcher is used to
inflate and launch sounding balloons in
field conditions. One operator can easily
launch the balloon and a radiosonde to
start an observation.
Typical applications of the launcher are
scientific or military field operations
where temporary sounding stations are
established as well as soundings carried
out onboard ships.
MODELS
Two launcher models are available. The
FB15 is designed for use with 100-gram
and 200-gram sounding balloons, but
also 350-gram balloons can be used. The
FB16A in turn is intended for use with
500-gram sounding balloons, but allows
using 350-gram and 600-gram balloons.
Also 100-gram and 200-gram balloons
can be used by tightening launching bag
aperture.
The FB15 Balloon Launcher consists of a
glass fibre body assembled of three
segments whereas the model FB 16A
consists of four segments. The body
frame forms a gauge indicating the diameter and gas volume of the balloon.
FILLING A BALLOON
The fibreglass body is lined with a
canvas bag that protects the weather
observation balloon and limits the inflation space downwards. A wide canvas
belt covers the balloon and is opened for
balloon release.
When launching a balloon, the launcher
is oriented with the radiosonde holder
outside the frame pointing downwind.
When inflating a balloon it is fastened to
a filling nozzle located in the lower part
of the launcher. The nozzle secures the
balloon during filling and keeps the
balloon vertically positioned. The radiosonde is held outside the frame in a
holder with a spring-loaded clamp.
The gas flow is cut when the balloon fills
the body frame. The canvas cover is
released and if needed, the balloon is
pulled out with a strap passing below the
balloon.
FB15
FB16A
1510 mm
1300 mm
1270 mm
35 kg/76 kg
1370 x 1270 x 480 mm
Green
1760 mm
1600 mm
1270 mm
48 kg/ 72 kg
1310 x 670 x 520 mm
Green
Balloon size and approximate burst altitudes for a high-quality balloon
100 g
16 km
350 g
200 g
21 km
500 g
350 g
26 km
600 g
VAISALA Inc.
100 Commerce Way
Woburn, MA 01801-1068
USA
Phone (nat.): (617) 933 4500
Telefax:
(617) 933 8029
VAISALA (UK) Ltd
Cambridge Science Park
VAISALA Inc.
Suffolk House
Artais Division
Fordham Road
Head Office:
7450 Industrial Parkway
Newmarket
VAISALA Oy
Plain City, OH 43064-9005
Suffolk CB8 7AA
PL 26, FIN-00421 Helsinki
USA
UNITED KINGDOM
FINLAND
Phone (int.): (+358 9) 894 91 Phone (nat.): (01638) 674 400 Phone (nat.): (614) 873 6880
(614) 873 6890
(01638) 674 411 Telefax:
Telefax:
(+358 9) 894 9227 Telefax:
Telex:
122832 vsala fi
VAISALA KK
VAISALA SA
42 Kagurazaka 6-Chome
3, Parc Ariane
VAISALA GmbH
Shinjuku-Ku,
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines
Postfach 540267
Tokyo 162
F-78284 Guyancourt Cedex
D-22502 Hamburg
JAPAN
FRANCE
DEUTSCHLAND
Phone (nat.): (01) 3057 2728 Phone (nat.): (03) 3266 9611
Phone (nat.): (040) 858 027
(03) 3266 9610
Telefax:
(01) 3096 0858 Telefax:
Telefax:
(040) 850 8444
Internet:
http://www.vaisala.com
26 km
30 km
32 km
VAISALA Pty. Ltd.
3 Guest Street
Hawthorn
VIC 3122
AUSTRALIA
Phone (nat.): (03) 9818 4200
Telefax:
(03) 9818 4522
VAISALA Beijing
Representative Office
Room 518-520
Wangfujing Grand Hotel
No. 57 Wangfujing Street
Beijing 100006
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
CHINA
Phone (nat.): (10) 6522 4050
Telefax:
(10) 6522 4051
B315en 1997-05
Balloon Launcher model
Dimensions
Width
Internal diameter
Height
Weight (net/br)
Shipping volume (plywood box)
Colour