| Jean-Pierre Blanchard (1753-1809) was a French | | | | might have learnt from the inventors the |
| pioneer in aviation and ballooning. On the Victorian | | | | uselessness of his oars, and of the flapping wings |
| Picture Library website you can see a fascinating | | | | and windmills which he tried in several subsequent |
| illustration showing the hydrogen gas balloon (or | | | | ascents. The brothers Mongolfier had considered, |
| 'aerostatic globe filled with inflammable air') in | | | | among many other means of guidance, the use |
| which he made his first successful balloon flight | | | | of oars, and had rejected them. Joseph |
| from the Champ de Mars, Paris on 2 March 1784. | | | | Montgolfier wrote to his brother Etienne in 1783: 'I |
| The parachute below the balloon was a safety | | | | do not see any efficient means of guidance, |
| device, intended to break the fall if there was an | | | | except in the knowledge of the different currents |
| accident to the balloon; the boat was fitted with | | | | of air which it is necessary to study; they |
| oars moved alternately by the travellers, and with | | | | generally vary according to the elevation'. |
| a rudder. | | | | In October 1784 Blanchard was in London, where |
| The ascent was preceded by high drama: Pierre | | | | with John Sheldon he made a balloon flight of |
| Blanchard and his companion Pech, a Benedictine | | | | about 115 kilometers from Chelsea to Romsey. |
| monk, were attacked by a contemporary of | | | | That November he flew with Dr John Jeffries |
| Napoleon at the Military School named Dupont de | | | | from London to Kent, and in 1785 the intrepid pair |
| Chambon. Obstinately determined to set out with | | | | made the first flight over the English Channel. |
| them, he forced his way, sword in hand, into the | | | | Blanchard was awarded a pension by Louis XVI. |
| gondola, wounded Blanchard, tore the rigging, and | | | | Blanchard toured Europe demonstrating ballooning, |
| broke the oars; Blanchard set off alone some | | | | and also the use of a parachute - he was the first |
| hours later, after having mended his balloon as | | | | to make parachutes from silk on account of its |
| well as lie could. | | | | strength and lightness. In 1793 Blanchard made |
| Blanchard had been beaten to the record for the | | | | the first balloon flight in North America, starting in |
| first successful balloon ascent by the Montgolfier | | | | Philadelphia and landing in Deptford, New Jersey. |
| brothers, whose balloon (manned by Pilatre de | | | | This feat was witnessed by President George |
| Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes) rose at the | | | | Washington. |
| Palace of Versailles in November 1783. Blanchard | | | | |