Born on June 30, 1919, just south of Bristow, Iowa, Paul Edward Yost would go on to revolutionize aviation—earning the title “Father of the Modern Hot-Air Balloon.”
After graduating from the Boeing School of Aeronautics in 1940, Yost began his career working on balloon technology for the U.S. Army. During World War II, he helped design a balloon system to drop propaganda leaflets using dry ice.
In the 1950s, Yost’s passion for flight reignited the world’s interest in hot-air balloons. He developed the first modern prototype using a plastic envelope and a kerosene burner—eventually replacing it with propane for better control and safety.
Post-war, Yost flew as a bush pilot in Alaska before co-founding Raven Industries in Sioux Falls, South Dakota—a company dedicated to military ballooning technology.
Over his career, he secured 26 patents related to balloon equipment and design. Thanks to Yost’s innovations, hot-air ballooning transformed from a historical curiosity to a modern sport and science.
His legacy continues to soar with every balloon that lifts off into the sky.
