On 9 January 1793, Jean-Pierre Blanchard performed the first balloon flight in the Americas, taking off from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and landing in Deptford Township, New Jersey.
Jean-Pierre Blanchard, a French inventor, aviation pioneer, and the world’s first professional balloon pilot, was born on 4 July 1753 in Les Andelys, France.
The French aviation pioneer made his first successful ascent in March 1784, just a few months after the first-ever manned balloon flight, which took place on 21 November 1783.
In January 1785, Blanchard, together with John Jeffries, completed the first successful manned flight over the English Channel, travelling from Dover to Guînes in Pas-de-Calais — 124 years before this feat was repeated by an aeroplane.
Over the following years, the French aviator toured Europe and North America. He was the first to fly a hot-air balloon in Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and Bohemia. The latter flight took place during the coronation celebrations of Emperor Leopold II.
On 9 January 1793, Blanchard made the aviation history with the first balloon flight in the Americas. His ascent was observed by President George Washington, and among the spectators were also John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe — all future Presidents of the United States.
More information about the life of Jean-Pierre Blanchard and his aviation adventures can be found in our article 4 July 1753 – Jean-Pierre Blanchard is born.
Cover photo: ´Sic itur ad astra´ – a phrase from Virgil´s Aeneid, meaning ‘thus one journeys to the stars’ – an entrance ticket to one of Blanchard´s flying experiments, 1784 (source: gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France, ark:/12148/btv1b85092246)
