Hot air balloons. 1784 engraving of early hot air balloons. The first flight by a hot air balloon took place in France in June 1783. The balloon, built by brothers Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier, was made of paper-covered cloth and was lifted by hot air from an on-board stove burning wool and straw. In September the brothers demonstrated their invention to the King in Versailles. This time the balloon carried the first air passengers: a sheep, a duck and a cock. The first human flight was on 21 November 1783. The two passengers, friends of the Montgolfiers, ascended before a crowd of three hundred thousand and flew for about 25 minutes over the centre of Paris, covering 9km.