Posted by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 17-09-2011
Tags: air, air balloons, air balloons baton rouge, air balloons festival, air balloons in new mexico, air balloons in the civil war, balloon, balloons, diy, hot
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 Gusmão 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 wasn’t until 1783 Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François 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 balloon rides 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.
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Find more information about Hot Air Balloon and Hot Balloon Rides and Balloon Festivals.
Hot Air Balloon Ride over Albuquerque, New Mexico
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1918 AIR PHOTO of burning REIMS from Captive BALLOON $19.71 |
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2 Orig Hot-Air Balloon Ice Cream Parlor Negatives $14.99 |
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Hot Air Balloon Commemorative Puzzle Stamps Series 1983 $0.99 |
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(5) Hot Air Balloon Stamp Pins $3.99 |
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P2559 4×6 postcard hot air balloon, North Carolina $5.00 |
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Disney Kermit & Miss piggy hot Air Balloon mystery pin $6.99 |
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Toddler Boy’s 4T Embro. Hot Air Balloon T-Shirt $9.59 |
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1993 Hallmark Ornament ~ KEEPSAKE ~ TIN HOT AIR BALLOON ~ HOLIDAY FLIERS group $9.99 |
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY 18″ BALLOONS SKATEBOARDS AIR GRIND OLLIE $2.84 |
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Looking Over Joplin Hot Air Balloon Ride RPP 1909 $5.00 |
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Hot Air Balloons in the Sky $19.99 Hot Air Balloons in the Sky – Wall Decal |
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Launching of Hot Air Balloons $49.99 Launching of Hot Air Balloons – Framed Art Print |
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Five Hot Air Balloons $8.99 Jose Gomez Five Hot Air Balloons – Art Print |
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Hot Air Balloons at Dawn $24.99 Tony Wheeler Hot Air Balloons at Dawn – Photographic Print |