History
In the year 400 BC in China, a kite was invented. 3 AD: the Kongming Lantern was used as a type of signaling balloon used for military use. 1485: Leonard da Vinci designed but never flew the Orithipter, the modern-day helicopter.
1783:The first aircraft was a balloon. On September 19, 1783 in France, a man named Roziere launched a balloon using hot air from a fire on the ground. The passengers were a sheep, duck, and a roster. The flight lasted 15 minutes, reached a height of 6,000ft and covered a distance of 1 mile. On November 21 of that same year, two brothers named Montgolfier launched the
first human flight.
1784: was the year the first woman flew, Elizabeth Thrible.
1793: Jan. 7 was the first flight in America. George Washington
watched the launch.
1794: balloons were started to be used for military recon in France.
1798: Jeanne Labrosse was the first woman to solo in a balloon.
During the 1800's, spectators were charged to watch balloon launches. It was a big event and today it still is a big event each time a balloon fly's.
John Wise was a pioneer during the 1800's. He flew hundreds of flights including long distances. He was last seen over Lake Michigan that launched from St. Louis.
The balloon corp. was established during the civil war. Both the north and the south had their own. It was used for recon and would take a crew of 30. Military balloons were used into WW1.
July 4, 1845: the first unmanned balloon flew in Iowa.
1856: the first manned balloon flew in Iowa.
1880: E. Lillian Todd was the first American Woman to solo in a hot air balloon.
August 1932: Auguste Picard reached a height of 52,498 ft. in a
pressurized capsule.
1935: Captain Albert Stevens and Orvil Anderson ascended to 72,295 ft and carried live radio broadcasts and the concept of manned flight in space.
Oct. 10, 1960: Birth of modern hot air ballooning launched from Nebraska. Ballooning has expanded tremendously over the year. Advancement in equipment has made hot air ballooning the one of the safest
forms of transportation.