FIHAB – Flameless Indoor Hot Air Balloon Workshop

Who Should Attend?

• Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering students

• Students interested in aerodynamics and flight systems

• Beginners seeking hands-on aerospace exposure

• Students preparing for future aerospace projects

Objectives of the Workshop

• Understand the physics of buoyancy and lift generation

• Perform sizing calculations for balloon volume and payload

• Learn material selection for lightweight aerospace structures

• Fabricate a working indoor balloon model

• Conduct controlled launch testing and performance evaluation

This workshop is designed to simulate a real engineering workflow: design → calculate → build → test.

A Two-Day Intensive Hands-On Aerospace Experience

AeroHobby Club, under the School of Advanced Engineering – Mechanical Cluster, is organizing the FIHAB (Flameless Indoor Hot Air Balloon) Workshop on 13th–14th March. The workshop will be delivered by Prof. R. K. Pant, Department of Aerospace Engineering.

FIHAB is a structured, team-based aerospace workshop focused on understanding buoyancy, lift estimation, lightweight fabrication, and controlled indoor launch testing — without the use of flame. The program combines theory, calculations, fabrication, and live testing within a two-day intensive format.

Participation Structure

• Maximum 12 Teams

• 5 Members per Team

• Limited seats to ensure focused mentorship

Students are encouraged to participate in teams and collaborate during design and fabrication stages.

9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
• Sizing calculations
• Lift estimation
• Design overview session
• Material discussion

(Post short tea break included)

Post-Lunch Session
• Model fabrication based on approved design
• Work conducted in:

• Propulsion Lab

• Aeromodelling Lab

• Material Testing Lab

Teams will build their own balloon systems under expert guidance.

Detailed Schedule

Day 1(13th March)

Day 2 – 14th March

Launch Session – AB-I Quadrangle (till 12:30 PM)
• Controlled indoor launch
• Stability observation
• Performance evaluation

Closing Session
• Discussion and feedback
• Certificate distribution

Speaker

Dr. Rajkumar S. Pant is a Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. He is known for his work in aerospace education, aircraft design, and aeromodelling workshops, and has mentored many students in practical aerospace engineering and flight technology.

Certification

Participants who successfully complete the two-day workshop will receive an official certificate of participation.

Registration

• Registration Fee: ₹249 per participant

• Limited Seats (First come, first served basis)

  Seats are limited to maintain quality interaction and lab access.