Luxembourg celebrated the anniversary of the first balloon flight
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On 1 February 1975, British pilot Don Cameron and Luxembourger Alfi Feltes officially lifted the Feierwôn Mongolfier into the skies of Luxembourg for the first time. The launch took place in Koetschette in front of a large crowd of spectators. After an hour of flight, the balloon landed in the Schwebach area, ushering in a new era of aeronautics in the country.
This project was made possible by the "Commune Aérostatique", an association founded in 1974 by a group of enthusiasts including Poully Emering, Alfie Feltes, Jang Sauber, Norri Theisen and Pit Thibo. They dreamed of having their own hot air balloon and invested personal funds in it.
Half a century later, on 1 February 2025, Goy Feltes, son of Alfie Feltes and former Luxair pilot, repeated the historic flight on the Feierwôn IV. He took off from Napoleonsgaart - one of the highest points in Luxembourg - and landed 40 minutes later at Weissenhaff, Arsdorf.
According to Goy Feltez, the mongolfier is the exact opposite of commercial aviation. He describes flying as a meditative process in which the pilot goes with the wind rather than against it.
50 years ago, the first flight was a real sensation. Back then, gas balloons were complicated and expensive to operate, while mongolfiers used the principle of air heating, which made them simpler and cheaper. Today's models have become technically more advanced, safer and more convenient to operate.
The original 1975 Feierwôn can be seen at the aviation museum in Mondorf-les-Bains, a reminder of how the history of aeronautics began in Luxembourg.
