Definition
The passenger-carrying compartment suspended beneath a hot air balloon, traditionally woven from wicker. It houses the pilot, passengers, fuel cylinders, and instruments, and is connected to the envelope by load cables or ropes.
Plain English
The container that hangs under a hot air balloon and holds the pilot, the passengers, and the fuel tanks.
Context Anchor
Seen in hot-air balloon descriptions, preflight inspections, loading, and landing discussions.
Derivation
From the everyday word 'basket,' meaning a woven container. Early balloonists used wicker because it is light, strong, and absorbs landing impact well. The name stuck even though modern versions may include metal frames and padded edges.
Why Pilots Care
The basket provides the only physical platform for occupants, fuel, and instruments; its structural integrity and load limits directly affect flight safety and landing procedures.
Intuition Check
Do not read basket here as just any container. In ballooning, it means the specific carrier under the balloon where the occupants and equipment ride.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot checked the fuel cylinders secured inside the basket before lighting the burner.
Example Sentence 2
During landing, the passengers crouched low in the basket and braced for touchdown.