Aerophilately

This is a term used to describe several philatelic areas of collecting such as

• Labels and stamps used for air mail services, Aerogrammes used specifically for lightweight shipping.
• The study of the development of air routes
• Souveniers, such as postal markings and commemorative labels, or
• Collecting stamps the show aircraft or other flying machines.

Airmail services came about as a desperate siege breaking device used during the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1871.

Paris at this time was surrounded by the Prussian army, so the French used balloons for communication. The first succesful trial flight was made by Nadar on the 21 September, and two days later a regular balloon service was established. The first balloon, named Neptune, carried mail along with baskets of pigeons which were used for return mesages.

In the four months that the service was in operation, 65 balloons with 2,500,000 letters were dispatched from Paris.

SECTIONS IN THIS CATEGORY First Flight Covers Aerogrammes Air Stamps