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Today most balloon baskets are still made of wicker and leather. To decrease weight, aluminum has replaced wood in the basket frames. In 1971, Mike Adams

designed this rugged wicker basket. The sculptured corners safely house the fuel tanks while steel suspension cables are woven into the sides, adding rigidity.

 Long Description

A Modern Hot Air Balloon Basket

This basket, constructed of wicker, aluminum and leather, is a product of Mike Adams Balloon Loft of Peachtree, Georgia. Production of Adams hot air balloons began in the early 1970s and continued until Adam's death in 1985. The company had a sterling reputation for technical advances in envelope design, and baskets that combined beauty and functionality. More than two hundred years after the invention of the balloon, the finest baskets are still hand-crafted of wicker and leather.

Gift of Mike Adams Balloon Loft

 Display Status

This object is on display in Thomas W. Haas We All Fly at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

Thomas W. Haas We All Fly
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type CRAFT-Balloon Physical Description Square balloon basket with wood base and protruding, rounded corners. Metal frame, covered in suede trim, attaches to each corner and meets at the top burner. Aluminum liquid petroleum gas (lpg) tanks are strapped to each interior corner. Interior also features suede bag, champagne bag, and wooden panel with compass, altimeter, and speed indicator. Dimensions 3-D: 119.4 × 116.8 × 254cm (3 ft. 11 in. × 3 ft. 10 in. × 8 ft. 4 in.)
 Materials Wicker
Leather
Suede
Wood
Aluminum
Steel
Non-Magnetic metal alloy
Paint
Cotton
Rubber
 Inventory Number A19761156000 Credit Line Donated by Mike Adams' and Balloon Loft Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.