Ballooning: A Simple History
by A. Mario Toscano
The end of 1782 is unforgettable when celebrating aviation.
Joseph Montgolfier, a French paper producer, and his younger
brother Etienne (Jacques) - after years of experimentation
with their dream of flying - lifted a thirty cubic foot silk
envelope nearly 100 feet using hot air alone in the small
French town of Annonay, near Lyon. It was the beginning of
the simple, yet colorful ballooning history!

In the 220 years that followed the Montgolfier small success in
Annonay, balloons have created great myths, left behind great
stories, and built a distinguished tradition. However, the best is
yet to come.
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