Drag Rope (Trail Rope)

Drag ropes are not required for use on netless gas balloons because the envelope does not have to be aligned for rip panel deflation.  Practice and safety, however, require the use of a drag rope.  

Modern trail rope is made of twisted coconut fiber, and for a 1000 m3 gas balloon it has a minimum length of 150 feet (45.72 m) and is roughly 1.25” (30 mm) in diameter.

The drag ropes function is to:

1.      To align the basket before landing.

2.      To reduce the descent speed before touch down and

3.      To reduce the flight speed, depending on ground conditions and the length of the trail rope.

The drag rope is attached to the load ring and is rolled up during the flight in a trail rope bag.  During landing the bag is opened and the trail rope becomes free to roll out.

Drag ropes can be made of any natural fiber material.  A good grade of manila or sisal can be used.  It should be laid as tight and as stiff as possible; four strands are preferable to three.  It should be waterproofed.  The extreme lower end should be slightly tapered and wrapped or otherwise stiffened for at least 6 feet., in order to prevent entanglement by whipping around trees or wires.

For maximum efficiency the drag-rope is made up of several different sizes with the heaviest at the bottom.  This may be as great at 1.5” in diameter, varied at intervals to about ¾ inch at the top for 80,000 cf balloon.