first hot air balloon

The first hot air balloon was launched 19th September 1783 by Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier, the first balloon flight was very short, the total flying time was only 15 minutes. What was very interesting though was the choice of passengers in that first balloon flight a sheep, a chicken and a duck.

The first hot air balloon flight to be manned was made by Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier and Francois Laurent d'Arlandes this attempt was just about two months later on 21st November. This very first hot air balloon was designed and created by Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier.

Of the two brothers, it was Joseph who first contemplated building what would be the first hot air balloon probably as early as in the year 1777. Joseph was watching laundry dry over an open fire, he noticed how smoke and embers were rising from the fire. Of course in those early experimental days it was not a hot air balloon festival that he was thinking about but military intentions. Joseph thought about the possibility of an air assault lifting troops to gain access to the fortress of Gibraltar.

Joseph then set about the task of building a very light wooden framed chamber measuring 1x1x1.3m (3 ft by 3 ft (0.91 m) by 4 ft) this was covered by lightweight taffeta cloth. Underneath this basic frame he lit some crumpled paper and of course this lifted from the stand and he had managed to make this first hot air balloon. Joseph then invited his brother Etienne to join him in building balloons. They succeeded in building a much larger hot air balloon on 14 December 1782 it was about three times the size of that initial first hot air balloon. They did succeed in flying this contraption, although they did lose control over the balloon it managed to fly over half a mile.

This was the birth of hot air ballooning that we see today, a hot air balloon ride, hot air balloon flights and a hot air balloon festival would never have been possible if it had not been for these two brothers inventing and designing the first hot air balloon.

Hot balloon rides are now much safer, modern balloons seem a long way advanced than the first hot air balloon built all those years ago. Now balloons have there own on-board heat source enabling greater distances and height than was possible before. Hot balloon rides are able to fly to much higher altitudes. Vijaypat Singhania set the world altitude record for highest hot air balloon flight, reaching 21,027 meters On November 26, 2005, traveling nearly 150 miles.

The longest ever of all hot balloon rides was made by Per Lindstrand and Richard Branson of the UK flew 7,671.91 km (4,767.10 mi) from Japan to Northern Canada On January 15, 1991. The balloon envelope was the largest ever built for a hot air craft.

hot balloon rides these days are mainly used for recreational purposes and some great flights can be made, The views from hot air balloons can be quite stunning. If you do have the chance of taking hot balloon rides be sure to take your camera with you.