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Have you ever looked up in the sky and seen a hot air balloon pass you by? Did this magnificent sight spark a question? How did these big colorful balloons end up soaring the skies? If you've ever searched balloon rides near me, perhaps that question has come to mind. We're looking at the history of hot air ballooning and exactly how this popular activity came to be.
The classic Napa Valley hot air balloon ride we know and love was very different a few thousand years ago. The first balloons were unmanned and used in China during the Three Kingdoms era (220-280 AD). These lanterns were used for military signaling. Today, we recognize them as traditional Chinese lanterns, but they were, technically, the first hot air balloons. Fast-forward to the 18th century where Brazilian Jesuit priest Bartolomeu de Gusmão envisioned a Passarola, an aerial apparatus. This was to be an air vessel for strategic communication. John V of Portugal funded the creation and demonstration of such a device. This unmanned demo brought European attention to the project.
Even though the first plane only took off in the 20th century, people have been able to take to the skies well before that. To find out how, we must find out more about the hot air balloons’ background and learn about the pioneers who made it a reality.
So, who invented the hot air balloon?
Well, the first hot air balloon flight, at least one that was manned, took place in 1783, when brothers Joseph-Michael and Jacques-Ètienne Montgolfier launched their Montgolfier balloon to the skies in France, stunning a crowd of onlookers and proving that it was safe.
This was the culmination of their efforts to develop lighter-than-air devices that could stay in the air – the brothers found the air heating method to be a simple yet very effective way to propel upwards.
They performed test-flights using unmanned balloons, eventually working up to testing the mechanism with animals. After seeing consistent success, which was only dampened by the superstitious and untrusting villagers, they eventually put together a performance launch in Paris, where they had their two close friends board the balloon.
It rose to a height of about 500 feet and flew over the rooftops of Paris, landing in a vineyard after about 25 minutes in the air.
As you could expect, the feat was met with astonishment and became an instant sensation. The brothers Montgolfier received numerous honors and awards for their efforts and continued to refine their design.
Their efforts became the basis for what would become a centuries-old tradition of soaring through the air in a hot air balloon, observing the world from a vantage point that’s impossible to compare with any other.
Now that we’ve talked about how and when were hot air balloons invented, we can talk about how they became to look the way they do today.
After the development of the first hot air balloon in the 18th century, the technology quickly spread to different parts of the world from their birthplace in France, but the balloons that were used in those days were quite different from the ones that became popular in the 20th century and are still used to this day.
Today’s balloons use propane gas to propel themselves upward and provide a much safer and more efficient way to stay in the sky for longer while having more control over how the balloon behaves in the air.
This type of balloon was only invented in the 1960s by Ed Yost, who launched the first flight using the propane-based heating system on October 22nd of 1960 in Nebraska, USA. By 1963, Ed Yost was able to cross the English Channel using his innovative design.
Before his invention, balloonists had to burn various materials while flying, which was not only unsafe but made it much more difficult to make adjustments to the heat and control the balloon’s altitude.
Over time, Yost’s balloon propulsion model evolved so much that it became a legitimate mode of transportation, even for the longest trips imaginable.
In 1987, Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand took on the first ever Transatlantic flight in a hot air balloon, traveling an incredible 3,000 miles in just over 30 hours, with top speeds reaching up to 130 miles per hour, proving that balloon travel was not only feasible but quite efficient as well.
Today, balloons are once again rising in popularity – more people around the world are learning to appreciate the unique experience that taking the skies on a hot air balloon can provide, and thus you’d be hard-pressed to find a place that doesn’t have at least one hot air balloon enthusiast club.
It’s become a great recreational activity for couples, groups of friends, or even special occasions such as weddings, and some people are also taking part in competitive events such as balloon racing!
One thing is for sure, there’s no better time to experience the thrill of riding a hot air balloon than today – it’s now safer and more accessible than ever, so if you want to learn more about hot air balloon history, there probably isn’t a better way to do it than giving it a try for yourself.
To learn more and plan your own balloon ride, please call us at 800-253-2224 or visit our hot air balloon flight page and we’ll help you set up a day that you’ll never forget!
Napa Valley hot air balloon rides were still a few years away as there was still much to develop. In the 1950s, Ed Yost created the modern balloon with an onboard heat source. The first successful flight happened in October 1960.
In 1978, ten days after taking his first balloon ride for his 33rd birthday, Don Surplus, pilot and company founder, purchased a hot air balloon with four of his friends. Together, these newfound converts started a flying club they named The Yountville Aerostat Society which later became Napa Valley Balloons, providing Napa Valley hot air balloon rides to passengers who were eager to experience the thrill of flight.
The popularity of hot air ballooning grew and more and more companies moved into the Valley. Napa Valley Balloons remains the original Napa Valley hot air balloon ride company in wine country offering guests an excellent customer service oriented experience.
Next time you search balloon rides near me, dive into he history of Napa Valley Balloons, and fly with the pioneering company of Napa. Your Napa Valley hot air balloon ride awaits!
