The first manned hot air balloon flight took place on October 15, 1783, by Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier in Annonay, France.

Hot air balloons work on the principal that hot air is lighter than cool air - by heating the air inside the balloon it becomes lighter than the surrounding air forcing the balloon upwards.

Look no further - we're launching London's primary hot air ballooning society in Finsbury Park. With a rich history of hot air balloon related festivities, fiestas, stunts and shenanigans, north London's finest park will soon be home to the no.1 ballooning society in the south east.

Airships and hot air balloons are not the same - airships achieve buoyancy from being filled with lighter than air gasses such hydrogen or helium, whereas hot air balloons utilise heated air.

For this reason airships and hot air balloons should not be used interchangeably and Finsbury Park Ballooning Society does not condone the use of airships under any circumstances.