Ed Yost
The stubborn American tinkerer who turned a centuries-old idea into a practical, propane-powered hot air balloon, launching a modern sport.
1919–2007 (age 88)·American balloonist inventor·Birthday: June 30·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Ed Yost didn't invent the hot air balloon—the Montgolfier brothers did that in 1783. What he did was make it workable, affordable, and safe for the modern era. Working in a General Mills research lab on high-altitude balloons, Yost became obsessed with creating a personal aircraft. The old balloons were massive, used dangerous open flames, and required large ground crews. Yost's breakthrough was a system built around a compact propane burner and a lightweight nylon envelope, with a wicker basket for the pilot. In 1960, after years of trial and error (and crashes), he completed the first free flight of his new design, lasting 25 minutes. He didn't stop there; he co-founded Raven Industries to manufacture them and later made the first solo balloon flight across the English Channel. His practical genius transformed ballooning from a historical curiosity into an accessible adventure sport and a colorful fixture in skies worldwide.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Ed was born in 1919, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ed Was Born
The biggest hits of 1919
Ed's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1919Born
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Started school
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1932Became a teenager
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1935Could drive
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1937Could vote
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1940Turned 21
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1949Turned 30
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 40
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 50
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 60
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 70
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 80
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2007Died at 88
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Designed and flew the first modern hot-air balloon with an onboard heat source (propane burner) in 1960.
- Co-founded Raven Industries, the first company to manufacture modern hot-air balloon systems commercially.
- Completed the first solo hot-air balloon flight across the English Channel in 1963.
Did You Know?
His early balloon experiments were funded by the U.S. military's Office of Naval Research, which was interested in lightweight aircraft.
The envelope of his first successful balloon was made of heat-resistant polyester film, not nylon.
He held over 30 patents related to balloon design and systems.
“I gave the balloon a simple burner and a rip panel.”
