History of Hot Air Ballooning
When we think of peaceful sky adventures, a hot air balloon is the one! They are colorful and adventurous in a unique way. We know how wonderful those rides are but do you know that it is not something that came with the millennial age but has been there with us for centuries now? Well, get ready to go back in time and live through the great history of the hot air balloon.
History: Going Back In Time With Hot Air Balloon
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Premodern Time with Unmanned Balloon
When we speak about premodern times, the history of hot air balloons originally began in China. Instead of the colorful large balloons, it was in the form of sky lanterns which were used for military signaling in the 3rd century. It was called the Kongming lanterns which eventually was used by the Mongolian army during the 13th-century Battle of Legnica. This was the first time it was introduced and got famous as ballooning in Europe.
The next great leap was taken in 1709 when the Brazilian Hesuit priest Bartolomeu de Gusmao showcased his invention. His work with the premodern hot air balloon was to ease the work of communication and strategy in an aerial device. He not only showcased but performed an unmanned demonstration in front of the Portuguese royal court. It was a major success as it attracted all European attention. But his dream of making it a manned flight could not happen at that time.
In the 1970s, a hypothesis came to light that balloon flights had been with us way before the premodern era. The balloonist Julian Nott shared his hypothesis that the balloon flights were used in the Nazca Lines in Peru. He supported it with the help of the old materials and methods that were available in the ancient Nazca culture.
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The First-Ever Balloon with Staff
With the help of Gusmao’s earlier laid groundwork, a balloon flight with humans became real in 1783. The credit goes to the Montgolfier brothers in France who launched the first manned flight on October 15, 1783. It reached an altitude of 85 feet which is still an important part of aviation history.
Now, you may wonder when we got to know that we could travel in those hot air balloon. Well, on 21st November 1783, this question got all the clarification it needed. De Rozier and Marquis François d’Arlandes made the first free flight which flew over Paris and proved that humans can also travel in the skies. Then it was first used as a tool for observation in 1794 during the Battle of Fleurus.
This continued to make history as Jean-Pierre Blanchard flew the hot air balloon in the United States, Netherlands and Germany. The most famous flight till today is his journey to the English Channel in 1785. But in an unfortunate incident that also shed light on the dangers of early aviation, Blanchard and his wife Sophie passed away.
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Modern Balloons
Today’s hot air balloons are all the result of the pioneers like Ed Yost and Jim Winker. It was because of their successful first flight of a modern balloon in 1960. After 7 years, that is in 1967, Bristol Belle took flight in the first modern balloon. Since then, we have been seeing the hot air balloon becoming a peaceful yet adventurous ride or flight.
Hot Air Balloon in Dubai
Dubai entered the hot air balloon era with its first flight in the late 20th century. Soon, the activity became an important part of their tourism industry. Thanks to the city’s rapid modernization and development it helped the hot air balloon to grow.
As we know, there are innumerable architecture in Dubai which increases the demand to see them from a peaceful flight. This is where the hot air balloon established its roots in Dubai and served millions of tourists and locals with a unique experience. Whether that be your desert landscape with its wildlife or the skyscraper with busy roads or water as the scenic beauty- the hot air balloon promises to never disappoint anybody.
Records With Hot Air Balloon
Apart from the adventurous flights that it has served us with till today, people have also created some groundbreaking records.
- In 1988- Per Lindstrand flew to 64,997 feet in Texas
- November 26, 2005- Vijaypat Singhania reached an altitude of 68,986 feet over Mumbai, India.
- The Longest Flight Record- January 15, 1991- Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand flew from Japan to Northern Canada which is 4767 miles in a Virgin Pacific Flyer Balloon.
- They also set an additional record for landing with the fastest ground speed reaching 245 mph.
- In 1999- Swiss psychiatrist Bertrand Piccard and Briton Brian Jones made history by completing the first continuous trip around the world for 19 days in a balloon.
- Later on, Steve Fossett and Fedor Konyukhov set new records for solo circumnavigation of the globe in a balloon.
Conclusion
Isn’t it fascinating how the hot air balloon has such a rich history with mindblowing records? We bet you that the next time you go for the hot air balloon ride, whether that be in Dubai or anywhere, you will have a great experience. It is also because you will know the hardships and the history of the balloon which will make it a lot more beautiful. But if you are in Dubai and would like to book a balloon ride, then book with us for an excellent and memorable experience.
