Mankind's desire to conquer the air probably began when the earliest humans watched birds take flight.
Some believe that primitive flight started with the idea of achieving buoyancy by harnessing hot air.
From China's use of hot air lanterns for military signals to France's use of hot air for the first recorded tethered passenger flight, hot air balloons have a long and colorful history.
The earliest recorded untethered hot air balloon ride with human passengers occurred in Paris, France in 1783.
The ever so compassionate King Louis XIV decreed that the trial balloons would be piloted by condemned criminals.
Scientist Jean-François de Rozier and Marquis Francois d'Arlandes persuaded the king to allow them the honor.
Unfortunately, de Rozier also became aviation's first casualty in June of 1785 when he and a companion crashed as they attempted to cross the English Channel in a hot air balloon.
Today's hot air balloons are a sight to behold.
No longer confined to the original balloon shape, they can be seen in an amazing variety of shapes and sizes.
Hot air ballooning has become a sport with accuracy being the goal instead of speed, even though they are called races.
Many hot air balloon festivals are held annually around the world, allowing spectators and enthusiasts alike to watch while giving the balloonists an opportunity to race and display their balloons.
Although the honor of the first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight has been attributed to Orville and Wilbur Wright in 1903, we must not forget that man's love for flight started hundreds of years earlier.
We owe thanks to the men whom, by trial and error, led the way to great accomplishments in aviation with hot air balloons.
Through the inventions and ideas of early aviation pioneers, the last century has seen continuous advancements.
From hot air balloons to aircraft to space shuttles, avionics has taken such great strides in technology that one can only imagine, and wait with great anticipation for, where it will take us in centuries to come.
Some believe that primitive flight started with the idea of achieving buoyancy by harnessing hot air.
From China's use of hot air lanterns for military signals to France's use of hot air for the first recorded tethered passenger flight, hot air balloons have a long and colorful history.
The earliest recorded untethered hot air balloon ride with human passengers occurred in Paris, France in 1783.
The ever so compassionate King Louis XIV decreed that the trial balloons would be piloted by condemned criminals.
Scientist Jean-François de Rozier and Marquis Francois d'Arlandes persuaded the king to allow them the honor.
Unfortunately, de Rozier also became aviation's first casualty in June of 1785 when he and a companion crashed as they attempted to cross the English Channel in a hot air balloon.
Today's hot air balloons are a sight to behold.
No longer confined to the original balloon shape, they can be seen in an amazing variety of shapes and sizes.
Hot air ballooning has become a sport with accuracy being the goal instead of speed, even though they are called races.
Many hot air balloon festivals are held annually around the world, allowing spectators and enthusiasts alike to watch while giving the balloonists an opportunity to race and display their balloons.
Although the honor of the first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight has been attributed to Orville and Wilbur Wright in 1903, we must not forget that man's love for flight started hundreds of years earlier.
We owe thanks to the men whom, by trial and error, led the way to great accomplishments in aviation with hot air balloons.
Through the inventions and ideas of early aviation pioneers, the last century has seen continuous advancements.
From hot air balloons to aircraft to space shuttles, avionics has taken such great strides in technology that one can only imagine, and wait with great anticipation for, where it will take us in centuries to come.