UP, UP & AWAY: On this day in 1783, the Montgolfier brothers publicly demonstrated their new invention—the hot-air balloon.
Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne were the sons of a prosperous French paper manufacturer. Of the two, Joseph-Michel is thought to have been the “obsessed inventor” type, while Jacque-Étienne was the steady businessman.
Not surprisingly, it was Joseph-Michel who first became intensely interested in aeronautics. Among other things, he was fascinated by the way laundry drying over a fire would billow upwards. He began experimenting with directing heated air into a paper or fabric bag, thus causing the bag to rise. He wrote to his brother, “Get in a supply of taffeta and of cordage, quickly, and you will see one of the most astonishing sights in the world.”
By June 4, 1783, they were ready to demonstrate their invention to a crowd of dignitaries in the town of Annonay. The 10-minute flight was unmanned and undirected, but it was said to have achieved an altitude of about 5200 feet. That’s not bad, especially when compared to the 12-second, 120 feet in distance achieved by the Wright Brothers on their second effort at heavier-than-air flight.
In order to really grab the public’s attention, Jacques-Étienne wanted their balloons to be beautiful. He collaborated with wallpaper manufacturer Jean-Baptiste Réveillon to produce a sky blue one with golden representations of suns and zodiac signs. On September 19, 1783, this balloon was launched from Versailles with Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette in attendance. It had passengers of sorts—a sheep, a duck and a rooster.
The flight lasted about 8 minutes, went about 2 miles and achieved an altitude of about 1500 feet. The passengers were safe and sound, and the king and queen were duly impressed.
Soon came a public, untethered, manned flight. Again, the balloon had to be gorgeous—golden suns, zodiac signs, fleur-de-lis, Louis XVI’s face and red and blue drapery. On November 21, it was launched. Benjamin Franklin was among those in attendance. He wrote, “We observed it lift off in the most majestic manner. When it reached around 250 feet in altitude, the intrepid voyagers lowered their hats to salute the spectators. We could not help feeling a certain mixture of awe and admiration.”
Hot-air balloons never became a practical mode of transportation. They can’t really be navigated. But this early step in flight still inspires “a certain mixture of awe and admiration.” And they’re still nice to look at.