Milestones: First flight in America

On that chilly winter morning 224 years ago, many of the founding fathers—including President George Washington and future presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe—gathered in the courtyard of Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Jail to view the launch of a marvelous new invention: the balloon.

Blanchard, a 39-year-old Frenchman, made his first balloon flight in 1784, using a hydrogen gas balloon he built and launched in Paris. The first manned balloon flight had taken place just a few months before, in November 1783, when the Marquis d’Arlandes and Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier piloted a hot air balloon, built by brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier, from the king’s palace at Versailles. In 1785, Blanchard was the first to fly the English Channel, crossing from England to France in about two and a half hours. During the next nine years Blanchard made 44 balloon flights throughout Europe, including the first flights in Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Poland.

Blanchard arrived in Philadelphia in 1792 and in January 1793 he advertised the sale of tickets to the first balloon flight in the United States. Blanchard chose a prison as his launch site for several reasons. Even though surrounded by prisoners, it was a secure spot to set up his balloon and the apparatus for making hydrogen gas. The enclosed courtyard protected the balloon from the winter wind during inflation, and allowed him to sell exclusive tickets to view the launch. At first, the price was $5, but it was lowered to $2 when sales were not so brisk. Five dollars was a huge sum for the average American in 1793.

The flight achieved several “firsts” in U.S. aviation history. At the last moment before launch, someone placed a dog in the basket with Blanchard, making it the first flying American hound.

At 10 a.m., Blanchard lifted off with an official letter from the president, which was America’s first air-mail delivery. It read in part: “George Washington, president of the United States of America…recommend to all citizens of the United States, and others, that in his passage, descent, return, or journeying elsewhere, they oppose no hindrance or molestation to Mr. Blanchard; And, that on the contrary, they receive and aid him with that humanity and good will which may render honor to their country.”

Blanchard later described the flight: “When, elevated at a certain height over the city, I turned my eyes towards the immense number of people, which covered the open places, the roofs of the houses, the steeples, the streets and the roads over which my flight carried me in the free space of the air. What a sight! How delicious for me to enjoy it!”

As Blanchard sailed toward the Delaware River, he made the first aerial encounter with birds in America, too. “I met a numerous and thick flock of wild pigeons: they seemed to be much frightened. Alas! it was never my intention in traversing the ethereal regions to disturb the feathered inhabitants thereof; they separated into two different parties and left a passage open for me.”

After leveling off, Blanchard completed a few scientific experiments, including taking air samples at an altitude of 5,400 feet, checking his pulse rate, testing the strength of a magnet, and noting the temperature and air pressure.

Before landing, Blanchard also partook of the first inflight meal in America as he “strengthened my stomach with a morsel of biscuit and a glass of wine.”

Forty-five minutes after takeoff, Blanchard landed the balloon in a plowed field in Deptford, New Jersey, eight miles from the launch. A New Jersey farmer was terrified by the sight of a man descending from the sky, but the pilot beckoned him closer.

“Recollecting that the exhilarating juice of the grape was always amongst mankind the happiest sign of friendship and conciliation, I showed him a bottle of wine. So much eagerness on my part inspired him with confidence; he approached, I invited him to drink, he would not venture, I then drank, first, and he followed my example.”

Properly lubricated, local farmers assisted Blanchard in carting his balloon from the field and finding a carriage back to Philadelphia. That evening, the French pilot shared the details of his flight with President Washington, doubtless with the help of additional wine.

Blanchard returned to Europe in 1797 and continued to fly until he suffered a heart attack during a flight in 1808. He fell from the balloon but survived for almost a year before succumbing to his injuries in 1809. After his death his widow performed balloon flights until she also died in an accident.

Dennis K. Johnson is a freelance writer and pilot living in New York City.