History Of The Hot Air Balloon

A ride in a hot air balloon can be an exhilarating and refreshing way of bringing new perspective to your life

. However, the idea of being suspended in the air by a thin-looking skein and wicker basket is admittedly peculiar. Have you ever thought about the history behind this odd, graceful looking contraption?

The hot air balloon was the first flight technology capable of carrying passengers. Unmanned balloons have been used in China since 220 AD as military signals. The first recorded flight was undertaken by a Portuguese priest, Bartolomeu de Gusmo in 1709, who was lifted about four meters off the ground by a small balloon. While calling this a flight may technically be a stretch, it was an impressive feat for its time.

It wasnt until 1783 Jean-Franois Piltre de Rozier and Franois Laurent d'Arlandes took the first flight above Paris, France, launching from the Champs de Mars and landing approximately 21 km away. The French peasants were so frightened by the spectacle of the balloon that they rushed to attack it with knives and pitchforks. They were allegedly pacified when the pilots gave them a bottle of champagne.

Ballooning quickly took off as a competitive sport among fans attempting to set distant and height records. In 1785, Jean Pierre Blanchard and John Jefferies flew a balloon across the English Channel, establishing it as a safe vehicle for long distance travel. On January 7, 1793, Blanchard became the first person to operate hot air balloons in America.

Since that time, the popularity of hot air ballooning has literally soared. Besides recreation, balloons have been used in military and commercial applications. Today, a number of festivals are dedicated to ballooners, such as the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and the Bristol Balloon Fiesta. Spectators merely have to look out of their windows to enjoy these colorful pieces of floating history.

by: Kevin Chand

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