ers ▁had ▁been ▁formed ▁to ▁use ▁bal lo ons ▁operation ally . ▁The ▁School ▁of ▁Bal lo oning ▁was ▁renamed ▁the ▁Bal lo on ▁Factory ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁the ▁Factory ▁increased ▁production ▁to ▁supply ▁bal lo ons ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁the ▁Bo er ▁War . ▁The ▁Factory ▁began ▁experiments ▁with ▁" dir ig ible ▁bal lo ons " ▁( air ships ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁ ▁At ▁F arn borough ▁ ▁The ▁Ald ers hot ▁site ▁was ▁found ▁to ▁be ▁too ▁en closed ▁so ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 - 1 9 0 6 ▁the ▁Factory ▁moved ▁to ▁a ▁site ▁at ▁the ▁edge ▁of ▁F arn borough ▁Common . ▁A ▁ ▁high ▁air ship ▁shed ▁was ▁built ▁at ▁the ▁site . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁Colonel ▁John ▁C apper ▁took ▁up ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁School ▁of ▁Bal lo oning . ▁During ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁command , ▁C apper ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁Britain ' s ▁military ▁air ships ▁and , ▁with ▁C ody , ▁pil oted ▁the ▁first ▁successful ▁British ▁air ship ▁flight , ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁N ul li ▁Sec und us ▁over ▁London ▁during ▁ 1 9 0 7 . ▁ ▁Samuel ▁C ody ▁experiment ed ▁with ▁man - l ifting ▁k ites ▁at ▁the ▁site . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁Chief ▁Inst ruct or ▁in ▁K iting . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 9