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June 04, 2008
Anniversary Of The First Hot Air Balloon Flight?
Google are trying to tell us, today with their logo, that today is the anniversary of the first hot air balloon flight, although I'm not sure that that is strictly true. A quick check on wikipedia reveals that the first manned flight took place on November 21, 1783.
I'm only interested because I used to crew for my friend who was a balloon pilot, my first flight saw me break two ribs as we landed at about 20 mph, the pilot crushed me against the fuel tank in the corner of the basket. We both walked away so I guess it was a good landing, though not one I'd like to repeat. Especially as it nearly put me out of crewing at the Hot Air And Harleys event in Aviemore Scotland a couple of weeks later
June 4, 2008 | Permalink
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Comments
Thanks for this red flag. I was also confused as I browsed the net for more information. There must be something to this date, however. Or was it just another opportunity for the Google artist to show his talent? Perhaps today's specail logo should have had Hillary Clinton clinging to the letter "e" in Google...to represent "the end."
Posted by: JC Teacher | Jun 4, 2008 1:30:05 PM
A search for June 4 and hot-air balloon turns up
"In 1783, the Montgolfier brothers first publicly demonstrated their hot-air balloon, which did not carry any passengers, over Annonay, France.
In 1784, opera singer Elizabeth Thible became the first woman to fly aboard a Montgolfier hot-air balloon, over Lyon, France. "
this was on an "on this day in history page" Under June 4 (TODAY)
Posted by: Vickster | Jun 4, 2008 3:27:13 PM
really? i thought it more likely a commentary on obama being "full of hot air"
Posted by: david | Jun 4, 2008 8:09:47 PM
Lol i tried that too and i got the same!
Posted by: Annonymous(if thats how u spell it)lol! | Jun 4, 2008 8:13:56 PM
I think you and Google are BOTH right! :) THe first manned flight was indeed when you stated. The flight Google is celebrating was indeed the first flight, but not the first MANNED flight--at least not manned by humans. The June flight had farm animals in the basket, not people.
Posted by: Dell | Jun 4, 2008 10:06:15 PM
Cake!
Posted by: Brian MacGruder | Jun 4, 2008 10:10:41 PM
Oops... please disregard my previous comment. The barnyard animal flight was in september of 1783--just a month before the manned flight you cited. No idea where google got the June 4th date...
Posted by: Dell | Jun 4, 2008 10:26:55 PM
How do you think we should contact google and yell at them?
=D
Posted by: Mike Balmforth | Jun 4, 2008 10:38:17 PM
We could always send a letter by airmail...
Posted by: Tony Holden | Jun 4, 2008 10:44:56 PM
Clicking on the Google logo brings up a number of links. The first stating 19th Sept, the third Nov 21st and the fifth here. Even Google aren't telling us where they get their information.
Posted by: Mr Neil Walker | Jun 4, 2008 10:55:52 PM
so, apparently, the one done on today was one without any passengers. later they decided to put animals in it, then the wanted to put people in there, but the one under today, i have seen on several sites is true. that today is the day that they just let an unmanned basket fly away.
Posted by: Jonas | Jun 4, 2008 10:59:09 PM
"The first clearly recorded instances of balloons using hot air to carry passengers buoyancy were built by the brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier in Annonay, France. These brothers came from a family of paper manufacturers and had noticed ash rising in paper fires. The Montgolfier brothers gave their first public demonstration of their invention on June 4, 1783." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_air_balloon#First_balloon_flight
Posted by: KevinT | Jun 4, 2008 11:33:52 PM
The brothers decided to make a public demonstration of a balloon in order to establish their claim to its invention. They constructed a globe-shaped balloon of sackcloth with three thin layers of paper inside. The envelope could contain nearly 790 m³ (28,000 cubic feet) of air and weighed 225 kg (500 lb). It was constructed of four pieces (the dome and three lateral bands), and held together by 1,800 buttons. A reinforcing "fish net" of cord covered the outside of the envelope.
On 4 June 1783, they flew this craft as their first public demonstration at Annonay in front of a group of dignitaries from the Etats particulars. Its flight covered 2 km (1.2 mi), lasted 10 minutes, and had an estimated altitude of 1.600 - 2.000m (5,200 - 6,600 ft). Word of their success quickly reached Paris.
Posted by: the danman | Jun 4, 2008 11:59:07 PM
