With the help of famed French balloonist Charles Dollfus, Piccard arranged for the first flight of a hot air balloon across the English Channel from Rye, England, to Gravelines, France on April 23, 1963. Ed Yost and Don Piccard were on board for this historical flight. It was the first time a hot air balloon had crossed the English Channel. They ascended to 13,500 feet to obtain a wind blowing the right direction, a flight of 3 hours and 17 minutes. This flight introduced the modern hot air balloon to the world, a significant step in making sport ballooning popular.