1300’s/ 13^th Century:

• German philosopher Albertus Magnus argues the theory of relative weights
• 200 years later, Albertus and the Venetian inventor Giovanni de Fontana conceived an object made from thick cloth and rings of wood. A man could sit inside this object, and held a burning brand made of pitch or tallow that produced large amounts of smoke. His theory: because of the fire, the air enclosed within the pyramid would be made lighter and move upwards

1700’s

• August 8, 1709: Bartholomeu de Gusmao made the first successful ascension in a hot air balloon called, Passarola
• 1774- 1786: Brothers Joseph & Etienne Montgolfier (who built the first hot air balloon) experimented on various types of air. They discovered the new age water- gas (hydrogen gas)
• 1782: Joseph Montgolfier built a hot air balloon alone, filled with newly discovered hydrogen gas (one- fourteenth the weight of atmospheric air)
• 5 June1783: A balloon was launched (with no one in it) in the Annonay public square. It was 33m in circumference and needed 8 men to hold it down. It rose to 1800m and landed 3km away
• 27 August: Prof. Jacques Charles ascended a hydrogen filled balloon which flew for 45 minutes and landed 25km away.
• 19 September: The Montgolfiers released a cloth and paper balloon in Versailes. It was 13m in diameter. King Louis XVI refused to let any man in the balloon for safety reasons. However a sheep, a rooster and a duck became the first hot air balloon passengers. This time the balloon flew 550m and descended after 8 minutes, 3km away. The rooster had been sat on by the sheep!
• 15 October: The first man ascended. The hot air balloon as tied to 26m long rope. It lasted 4.5 minutes.
• 21 November: The first free flight that included passengers. During the flight the balloon caught alight but was extinguished. The flight lasted 25 minutes and covered 8km.
• 1 December: From Tuilieries in Paris, Prof. Charles and Marie- Noel Robert flew in a hydrogen filled hot air balloon for an hour before it came down in Nesle.
• 1785- The English Channel had been crossed using a hot air balloon.
• 1794- The French Military established a balloon corps, who acted as aerial observers.

1800’s

• 1861-5: During the Civil War the Union Army used hot air balloons
• 1870-1: During the Franco- Prussion War, a number of flights were undertaken by the French.
• End of January 1871: 66 balloons had been flown carrying people, dogs, mail and pigeons.
• 1885: The first manned flight took place in South Africa.

1900’s

• 1932: Swiss physicist Auguste Picard flew to 16 000m in an enclosed gondola beneath a balloon
• 1960: US aeronauts more than doubled this figure
• 1960: A balloon set the record at 102 000 feet when Captain Joe Kittinger parachute jumped and broke the sound barrier with his body.
• 4 May 1961: Commander Malcom d Ross reached 34 668m.
• 1978: Bill Gunsten released his book, “Aviation, The Story of Flight”
• 1970: Erik Norgaard released his book, “The Book of Balloons”
• 1978: Atlantic crossing was achieved using The Double Eagle II (Helium balloon). Manned by Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman, a new record was set and was highlighted as the longest balloon flight at 137 hours.
• November1981: The first Pacific crossing achieved.
• 1984: Captain Joe Kittenger sets a new record for the first solo transatlantic hot air balloon flight. He covered 3535 miles.
• 1987: Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand flew a helium/ gas filled balloon across the Atlantic (2900 miles in 33 hours).
• 1988: Per Lindstrand set a record as the highest solo flight ever recorded, at 65 000 feet.
• 1991: Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand flew across the Pacific travelling 6700 miles in 47 hours from Japan to Canada. They reached speeds of up to 245 mph.
• 1999: The first around the world flight completed by Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones. They launched from Switzerland and landed in Africa. It took 19 days, 21.55 hours.

2005

• 26 November 2005: An Indian textile Millionaire, Mr. Singhania (67 years old) broke the altitude record in a 44 ton balloon. He reached 69 852 feet and flew 150 miles, landing in Panchale (info provided by Aero- News Network)

Today

Air to Air Africa keeps the oldest form of flight known to man, alive. Enjoying the landscapes below and a glass of sparkling wine upon descent, we strive to offer the very best hot air ballooning experience to each and every guest.