Hot Air Balloons through History

The very first hot air balloon was created in the summer of 1783 by the Montgolfier brothers of France. Joseph and Jacques were two of sixteen Montgolfier children who worked in their family's paper factory in Annonay, France. One day while observing a shirt rising that was drying over a fire, the brothers decided to see what else would rise.

When they watched paper they threw in the fireplace rise, they mistakenly assumed that smoke was responsible for the ascension. However, they soon realized that hot air was what made things rise. Hot air is less dense than cold air. When hot air and cold air are combined, hot air rises. The brothers took this knowledge and used it to design the very first hot air balloon.

The first hot air balloon ever made was crafted from simple materials. The balloon envelope was made from fabric and lined with light colored paper. A layer of alum coated the envelope so it wouldn't catch on fire. The balloon was kept together by over 2,000 different knots. It carried three passengers -- a duck, chicken, and sheep -- a short distance over France. When the farm animals made the trip without being harmed, the brothers realized that humans could as well.

The first human passengers were a major in the military named Francois d'Arlandes and a physics professor named Pilatre de Rozier. Following their successful flight, other designs for hot air balloons soon followed but, gas balloons took center stage by the 1800's. One reason for this was because de Rozier, the man who was part of the first balloon flight, died while trying to fly in a hot air balloon over the English Channel. de Rozier hit disaster when a smaller hydrogen balloon became ignited and caused the entire balloon to burst into consuming flames. Without the additional hydrogen balloon attached as well as the envelope, de Rozier might have made it across safely.

Ballooning declined after World War I due to the price of fuel, but experienced new life since the 1960's. Today, you can find companies offering hot air balloon rides all over the world, as well as many different annual events for hot air balloon enthusiasts.

Although some aspects of the hot air balloon have changed since the 1700's, the basic design is the same as the Montgolfier brothers'. A hot air balloon consists of three main parts: A burner that supplies hot air via propane tanks, the basket that carries the passenger (usually made from woven willow branches), and the envelope, which is the lightbulb shaped nylon part that comes in a wide array of bright colors and patterns. Some companies even use the balloon envelope as advertising space! The most recognizable today is probably the Remax balloon.

A hot air balloon ride can be an exciting adventure. While you're up in the air, you'll experience the same majesty and wonder that have drawn people to ballooning for centuries and counting!

Copyright 2008 Thomas Proctor- All Rights Reserved

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