Hot Air Balloon Rides

 travel, man’s fascination with these marvels that
The historyseem to be suspended in air on their own has
The first hot air balloon, just like the first spacecontinued unabated. Grown men seem to have the
rocket, had animals as the passengers. The luckysame feeling towards a hot air balloon as kids have
beasts to enjoy the first flight were a sheep, a ducktowards their helium balloons.
and a rooster and the balloon stayed in the air for aPioneering flights
grand total of 15 minutes before crashing back to the 
ground. This was the year 1783 (September 19th)- The Atlantic was crossed in a hot air balloon in the
and the person who attempted this was Pilatre Deyear 1978 when the Double Eagle II became the first
Rozier, a scientist. Approximately two months laterballoon to do so. The passengers on board (or in
(21st November), French brothers Joseph and Etiennebasket) were Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and
Montgolfier attempted the first manned flight. TheyLarry Newman.
were not much more successful than the animals,- The Pacific was first crossed in 1981 using the
managing to stay in air for a total of 20 minutes.Double Eagle V using a helium balloon. The first Pacific
The first serious, long distance flight came just twocrossing using a hot air balloon was done in 1987 by
years later when in 1785 a French balloonist, Jeanthe team of Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand.
Pierre Blanchard, and his American co pilot, JohnTo experience what these pioneers and others after
Jefferies, became the first to fly across the Englishthem have experienced, we invite you for a trip in
Channel. The above events paved the way forthe skies. With hot air balloon rides over Sydney and
balloons to be used widely in the world. Although itthe Hunter Valley.
never became a popular or widespread method of air