Ballooning & Early Aeronautical Training

1915–1916
Fleet’s first experiences in military flight began not with airplanes, but with balloons—giving him foundational aeronautical knowledge that shaped his entire aviation career.

Ballooning & Early Aeronautical Training

The Forgotten Origins of an Aviation Pioneer

Before Reuben H. Fleet ever flew an airplane, he trained in one of the earliest forms of military aviation: observation balloons. These tethered gas balloons, managed by the U.S. Army Signal Corps, were essential reconnaissance tools during the 1910s and served as the Army’s primary aerial observation method before airplanes matured.

Fleet’s early ballooning experience placed him among the very first generation of American military aeronauts—giving him hands-on exposure to aerodynamics, altitude, weather, and the dangers of flight long before the widespread adoption of powered aircraft.

Why Ballooning Mattered in Early Aviation

In the 1910s, when aviation was still experimental, the Army used balloons for:

battlefield surveillance
artillery spotting
long-range reconnaissance
meteorological observation
training early aeronauts in the fundamentals of flight

Aviation training at the time was not split into “balloonists” and “pilots.”
Instead, it was a single evolving discipline—and ballooning was the front door.

Fleet learned:

how lift and buoyancy interacted with wind currents
how to read terrain from above
how weather affected altitude and stability
the craft of aerial communication and observation
how fragile early flight equipment truly was

These lessons would later inform his relentless focus on stability and safety in aircraft design.

The Experience That Shaped His Understanding of Air

The balloon missions were not leisurely ascents. They were tense, technical, and often dangerous. Balloonists were exposed to:

sudden storms
unpredictable gusts
rapid altitude changes
enemy fire (in wartime environments)
the constant risk of equipment failure

Fleet gained early insights into:

atmospheric behavior
the importance of balance and weight distribution
structural stresses on aerial vehicles
weather forecasting and interpretation

This was practical aeronautical science learned in the field—not in a classroom.

Transitioning to Heavier-Than-Air Craft

Fleet’s ballooning background positioned him perfectly for the Army’s rapid shift into fixed-wing aviation. When the United States began expanding its airplane program, Fleet already understood:

altitude physiology
emergency procedures
aerial reconnaissance
communication methods
navigation from above
aircraft stability principles

Many new pilots of the era entered airplanes with little understanding of aeronautics.
Fleet entered with a foundation.

His balloon service made him:

a more cautious pilot
a more analytical engineer
a more empathetic leader
a more effective commander during WWI training

It was one of the key reasons he rose so quickly in aviation leadership roles.

A Forgotten but Foundational Chapter

While his later achievements—airmail, NYRBA, Consolidated Aircraft—are widely recognized, Fleet’s ballooning background is often overlooked. Yet it was here, in these early ascents, that he first learned to trust the air, read the sky, and understand the forces that governed flight.

Before he became a pilot, a commander, or a manufacturer, Reuben H. Fleet was an aeronaut.

And that early perspective shaped his entire career.