When was the first balloon flight made?

               Balloon flights have become a popular air sport these days though the number of participants is limited to a few. Balloon festivals are organized every year at different places all over the world as a competitive sport as well as for fun and entertainment. But who made the first balloon flight and when?

               The idea of a balloon flight first occurred in the mind of two Frenchmen when they watched smoke rising up inside a chimney. This led Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier to build the first man-carrying balloon. The balloon made by them was filled with hot air from a fire to provide the lift required for flying. It was the year 1783 when the people of Paris were amazed to see a sheep, a cock and a duck flying in a balloon made by Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier. But strangely the fact remains that though they made the first balloon they could not become the first air travellers. The honour of making the first balloon flight is shared by two brave men, J.P. de Rozier and Marquis d’ Arlandes. This historic flight carrying these two men was made in November, 1783. With this began the era of flying.

               But a balloon flight of this kind depended on wind blowing and the balloon flew in the direction of the wind. To overcome this drawback the first powered flight was made by fitting an engine to a balloon in the year 1852. Henri Gifford of Paris made this airship with a balloon fitted with hydrogen gas for lifting the balloon. A platform was attached below the balloon through wires and a small steam engine was fitted on this platform. The airship could be moved forwards with the help of a propeller run by the engine. This was the fore-runner of the more advanced airships and the later day aeroplanes which were run by electric and petrol engines.

               There are some interesting facts about the recent history of ballooning. A balloon called Miss Champagne rose to a height of 50 feet with 61 passengers on board on 19 Feb 1988.

               The Dutch balloonist Henk Brink made a balloon that reached a height of 328 feet with 50 passengers on board on 17 August 1988 which lasted for 25 minutes.