Aerostation

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The practice of operating hot air balloons or airships involves transportation and maintenance methods
2. This field includes the management and functionality of lighter-than-air transportation vehicles and their support systems
3. The field encompasses the operation of lighter-than-air craft, including hot air balloons and airships, along with their control and support structures

Etymology: Aerostation is built from two pieces that point in different directions. The first, "aero-", comes from Greek "aēr" meaning air, while the second, "station", comes from Latin "statio", a standing or a place where something stands. Put together, the name suggests a fixed post in the air, which is an odd image for a field whose craft are constantly drifting. The more direct source is French "aérostation", which English took over. In French, the word is formed from "aérostat", an aerostat being a lighter-than-air craft, with the suffix "-ion" added on, the same ending found in words like "navigation". The likely reason for the parallel is that the French formation was modelled on the earlier and more familiar "navigation", so that the new term sounded like it belonged to the same family of activities. The meaning has stayed close to the aircraft themselves. The term covers the business of flying hot air balloons and airships, along with the apparatus that controls them and the structures that support their operation on the ground.