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Some Important Dates in Ballooning History

September 19, 1783

A sheep, a duck, and a rooster become the first passengers in a hot air balloon, launched by Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier.

November 21, 1783

Also considered the first controlled manned flight in history, the first manned flight in a hot air balloon takes place. Built from paper and silk by the Montgolfier brothers, this balloon was piloted on a 22-minute flight by two noblemen from the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. From the center of Paris they ascended 500 feet above the rooftops before eventually landing miles away in the vineyards. Local farmers were very suspicious of the fiery dragon descending from the sky, so the pilots offered them champagne to celebrate, and this is a tradition is carried on to this day with every balloon landing.

January 19, 1784

In Lyon, France, the only recorded flight by Joseph Montgolfier was made in one of the largest balloons ever made.

September 15, 1784

An Italian, Vincenzo Lunardi, made the first balloon flight outside of France. The 500 cubic meter balloon flew from Moorfields in England and landed near Ware.

January 7, 1785

The team of Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries became the first to fly across the English Channel.

January 9, 1793

The first flight of a balloon in North America occurred in Philadelphia and was piloted by Jean-Pierre Blanchard.

October 10, 1960

The official birth date of the modern hot-air balloon. The first man-carrying free flight took place at Bruning, Nebraska, in a prototype 'modern' hot-air balloon manufactured by Raven Industries. The 30,000 cu ft envelope was constructed of a polyurethane-coated nylon and the burner was propane powered.

August 11, 1978

First successful Atlantic Ocean crossing by helium balloon is completed by American pilots Maxie Anderson, Ben Abruzzo, Larry Newman

November 12, 1981

First successful Pacific Ocean crossing by helium balloon is completed by American pilots Maxie Anderson, Ben Abruzzo, Larry Newman

September 18, 1984

U.S. Airforce test pilot Capt. Joe Kittinger completes the first solo Atlantic Ocean crossing by helium balloon.

July 3, 1987

The "Virgin Atlantic Flyer" flown by Swedish pilot Per Lindstrand and co-piloted by British entrepreneur/pilot Richard Branson becomes the first hot-air balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

January 17, 1991

The "Virgin Atlantic Flyer" flown again by Lindstrand and Branson becomes the first hot air balloon to cross the Pacific Ocean. Flying from Japan to Arctic Canada, them achieve a distance of 6,700 miles at speeds up to 245 mph.