Cute. Funny. Amazing. With the magical power to take you, up, up in the sky, so close to the fluffy clouds… And they have a past full so meaningful for today’s aircraft engineering.

Hot Air Balloons – the first successful step in human-being air transportation, the beginning of a dream – flight technology.   The first hot air balloon was made by Montgolfier brothers on 4th April 1783. They used just cloth to make it and the balloon could fly for a distance of 2km and, of course, without any creature on board. This humble flight was the start of the aviation era.

On 19th September 1783, they launched another balloon, this time with passengers. Don’t laugh! The passengers were a sheep, a duck and a rooster! No idea if they got back on the ground safe , but the flight was a success. It lasted 8 minutes and was 3,5km far.

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The next hot air balloon launched had human passengers, Jean François Pilatre de Rozier and the marquis of Arlandes. Therefore, on 21st November 1783  the first  manned flight in history took place. Their balloon landed safely 25 minutes later and 8km further. Wonderful.

 

How else could we enjoy today these joyful, magically human-carrying balloons?

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Pictures source: Wikipedia, email.

Filed under: Cute Pictures, Funny Pictures