Yet Another Historic Anniversary.... Cool!

ANN Reader and Balloon Federation of America Editor, Glen Moyer, sent us an amazing bit of info... It seems that today, Friday, November 21, 2003 marks the 220th anniversary of man's first flight.

Glenn tells us that, "Yes, this is the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers invention of the airplane, but two other brothers, Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier first put man into the sky aboard their hot air balloon.

Citing the 'The Joy of Ballooning' by George Denniston, Glenn adds that, "The craft was made of canvas and silk and was beautifully painted in azure and gold. The balloon was egg shaped and stood 68 feet high. Shortly before 2 p.m. Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier (from whose name the word pilot was derived) and Francois Laurent, Marquis d'Arlandes launched their craft from a hillside overlooking the city of Paris. They ascended to an estimated altitude of 3,000 feet before landing in a meadow. They had traveled some six miles in their twenty-five minute flight.

It is reported that Pilatre went straight home after the flight while the Marquis returned to the launchsite at the Chateau de la Muette whereupon he was proclaimed 'god of the atmosphere borne on the clouds.'"

FMI: www.bfa.net