Master Mag Templet - Frank's International, Inc.

Imagine traveling through the air,
high above civilization. The peace,
tranquility, and scenery you experience
riding in a hot-air balloon is
beyond words.
It is not surprising that hot-air ballooning
has retained its popularity for more
than 200 years.
Maiden Voyage
On a hot and balmy day in 1783, a
sheep, a duck, and a rooster became the
first passengers in a hot air balloon
launched by the Montgolfier brothers,
Joseph and Etienne.
The brothers, wealthy paper-makers
from Annonay, France, sent their farm
friends on an eight-minute ride in a
paper-lined balloon 6,000 feet in the
air, celebrating the first practical launch
of a hot-air balloon.
Today, hot-air ballooning has become a
favorite pastime among tourists who
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find balloon travel an incredible way to
view exotic locales around the world.
The Rest Is History
Through the years, hot-air balloons
have served as more than just tourist
diversions. During the Franco-Prussian
War of 1870-1871, balloons were used
for military observation by the armies
of both nations. In World War I, armed
forces made extensive use of balloons
to observe enemy lines. And during
World War II, the British army used the
barrage balloon, a large fabric balloon
tethered to a steel cable, to protect
London from low-level air attacks.
Early hot-air balloon sales were made
exclusively for the government for use
in military and research applications,
but in the 1960s, several companies
began purchasing the balloons for
recreation and sport. On October 10,
1960, the first man-carrying free flight
took place in Bruning, Nebraska, in the
Raven Industries prototype of a modern
hot-air balloon. Now constructed of a
polyurethane-coated nylon and powered
by propane, the balloon has evolved significantly
over the years.
Early hot-air balloon sales
were made exclusively for the
government for use in military
and research applications.
Balloons consist of a large, flexible
bag containing either hot air or gas
that is lighter than air. The bag, known
as the envelope, is made of varnished
silk, rubber, or other suitable materials.
Piloted balloons carry passengers in a
suspended gondola, or basket, while
unpiloted balloons are typically used
for research purposes.
After 1960, the fledgling Raven
Industries, formed by a small group of
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