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Pilatre De Rozeir launched the first hot air balloon
Pilatre De Rozeir launched the first hot air balloon called 'Aerostat Reveillon' that held a sheep, a duck, and a rooster. The balloon stayed in the air for a total of 15 minutes before crashing down. -
The birth of hot air ballooning!
The first manned attempt was by two french brothers named Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier. They launched the balloon in the center of Paris and it flew for 20 minutes! -
Long Distance Ballooning
French balloonist, Jean Pierre Blanchard and American pilot, John Jefferies became the first people to fly across the English Channel in a hot air balloon. This was considered a great achievement in the history of long distance ballooning. -
Hot Air Balloons in North America
Jean Pierre Blanchard became the first person to fly a hot air balloon in North America. George Washington was present at the launch of this major event. -
Setting the Highest Altitude Record
Swiss scientist, Auguste Piccard was the first man to fly a hot air balloon into the stratosphere. He reached a height of 52,498 feet! This set the altitude record and from then on, for a couple of years, it was a race to see who could break the record. -
Crossing the Atlantic
The hot air balloon called 'Double Eagle II' was the first hot air balloon to cross the Atlantic. This balloon was a helium filled model and carried 3 people -
Hot Air Ballooning of Today
Today people around the world go on hot air balloon flights just for the thrill of it. Today anyone can ride a hot air balloon and there aren't really "races" to beat records. Hot air ballooning today is mostly for enjoyment and fun.
