Definition
Lighter-than-air aircraft carrying one or more occupants, which drift with the wind and have no means of self-propulsion or directional control. Lift is produced by heated air or by a lifting gas such as helium contained in an envelope, and altitude is changed by adjusting the lift (adding heat, releasing gas, or dropping ballast).
Plain English
A balloon big enough to carry people, that floats wherever the wind takes it because it has no engine and cannot be steered.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA discussions of aircraft types and what kinds of flying the FAA regulates.
Derivation
‘Manned’ means carrying a human occupant. ‘Free’ here means untethered — not attached to the ground by a rope or cable, as a captive balloon would be. So a manned free balloon is a balloon that has a person aboard and is flying loose on the wind.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots must obtain a specific lighter-than-air category rating to operate these aircraft legally, and they follow distinct right-of-way and operational rules.
Intuition Check
Free does not mean no cost here; it means not tethered or tied to the ground. Manned does not mean military or male-only; it means people are aboard.
Example Sentence 1
The FAA regulates many types of civil aircraft, including airplanes, helicopters, gliders, and manned free balloons.
Example Sentence 2
FAA regulations require right-of-way priority for manned free balloons over all powered aircraft during flight.