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A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. A gondola or wicker basket is suspended beneath, which carries passengers and a source of heat, in most cases an open flame cause by burning liquid propane. French brothers Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier begin to experiment with lighter-than-air flight using a piece of fabric made of paper and silk.
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French scientist Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier famously launched the first hot air balloon carrying a duck, a sheep, and a rooster. The flight lasted for 15 minutes. -
Jean-Pierre Blanchard completes the first balloon flight in North America, flying from Philadelphia to New Jersey.
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The Great Balloon of Nassau is flown by UK balloon enthusiast Charles Green from London to Germany in 18 hours. -
Hot air balloons are used for military observation and as a way to escape in the Franco-Prussian War. -
Both sides use balloons for military observation during World War 1.
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Edward Yost invents a propane burner, changing balloons from gas to hot air. The first one was successfully flown in Nebraska, USA. -
In the 1970s and 80s, we see the development of new synthetic materials and lighter burners, marking another new age in the history of hot air balloons.
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Sir Richard Branson and Per Linstrand successfully fly the Virgin Atlantic Flyer across the Atlantic. This balloon is the largest balloon ever at 2.3 million cubic feet. -
Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones fly a helium/hot air balloon around the globe setting the longest ever flight covering 29,055 miles in 19 days, 21 hours, and 55 minutes.
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Fedor Konyukhov broke the record by completing his 33,000 km journey in just under 11 days.