History of Ballooning
 Photo by : Soumik Kar in flickr |
Hot Air Balloons - From the Chapters of History
The recorded history of hot air balloons dates back to the 18th century. But the Chinese history reveals that hot air ballooning was instigated much earlier in the three-kingdom era; Shu Kingdom used airborne lanterns (known as Kongming lanterns) for military signaling. Another conjecture acknowledges their use by the Nazca Indians of Peru as a means for designing the vast drawings of the Nazca plain.
Two brothers, Josef and Etienne Montgolfier in Annonay, France take away the credit to build balloons on the principle of hot air lifts. Their family vocation of paper manufacturing led to their invention when they keenly observed ash rising in the fires. It is rendered from the recorded instances that their balloons were capable of carrying passengers up to a significant rise in the air.
On the grounds of Golie Titon of Paris, the first balloon flight with humans on board took place on October 19, 1783, only after much experiment flights with unmanned balloons and flights with animals. On embark were the physician Pilatre de Rozier, Jean-Baptiste Reveillon and Giroud de Villette. But, officially, the first flight was on 21st November 1783, around 1 month later. Then, material for making hot air balloons were primarily the cloth bags (lined with paper) with a provision for smoky fire built on a grill attached to the bottom. But these balloons had an affinity to catch fire and be damaged upon landing.
The hot air balloons have evolved significantly during the modern times. The most advanced balloon aircraft was designed and built by Ed Yost in 1960, and indigenously handled the first free flights. His designs were modified with propane powered "weed burner" for heating air and lift the lightweight nylon fabric envelope.
November 1985 is a landmark in ballooning history of India with the commencement of 1st India International Balloon Mela, which is thereafter held every year till now. A special shape hot air balloon in the shape of the world famous monument 'Taj Mahal' in its actual size was flown at the 8th India International Balloon Mela. This is the first time in India; a special shape of its kind was flown in October 1992.
Two brothers, Josef and Etienne Montgolfier in Annonay, France take away the credit to build balloons on the principle of hot air lifts. Their family vocation of paper manufacturing led to their invention when they keenly observed ash rising in the fires. It is rendered from the recorded instances that their balloons were capable of carrying passengers up to a significant rise in the air.
On the grounds of Golie Titon of Paris, the first balloon flight with humans on board took place on October 19, 1783, only after much experiment flights with unmanned balloons and flights with animals. On embark were the physician Pilatre de Rozier, Jean-Baptiste Reveillon and Giroud de Villette. But, officially, the first flight was on 21st November 1783, around 1 month later. Then, material for making hot air balloons were primarily the cloth bags (lined with paper) with a provision for smoky fire built on a grill attached to the bottom. But these balloons had an affinity to catch fire and be damaged upon landing.
The hot air balloons have evolved significantly during the modern times. The most advanced balloon aircraft was designed and built by Ed Yost in 1960, and indigenously handled the first free flights. His designs were modified with propane powered "weed burner" for heating air and lift the lightweight nylon fabric envelope.
Ballooning in India
In India, hot-air ballooning was commemorated with the establishment of Balloon Club of India in New Delhi on November 1970. In the same year, Vishwa Bandhu Gupta took the maiden flight with Jan and Nini Boesman in the gas balloon 'Nimbus' from Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi to Kilazafargarh. India put its steps in international forum in February 1973, when Vishwa Bandhu Gupta participated in the First World Hot-Air Balloon Championships held at Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. In October 1973, first Indian Hot-Air Balloon 'Udan Khatola' was designed and fabricated indigenously and successfully test flown at Safdarjung Airport.November 1985 is a landmark in ballooning history of India with the commencement of 1st India International Balloon Mela, which is thereafter held every year till now. A special shape hot air balloon in the shape of the world famous monument 'Taj Mahal' in its actual size was flown at the 8th India International Balloon Mela. This is the first time in India; a special shape of its kind was flown in October 1992.