Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier

Lore & Background

Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier was born in Metz, the third son of Magdeleine Wilmard and Mathurin Pilastre, known as 'de Rozier', a former soldier who became an innkeeper. His interest in the chemistry of drugs was awakened in the military hospital of Metz. He made his way to Paris at age 18, then taught physics and chemistry at the Academy in Reims, which brought him to the attention of the Comte de Provence, brother of King Louis XVI. He returned to Paris, where he was put in charge of Monsieur's cabinet of natural history and made a valet de chambre to Monsieur's wife, Madame, which brought him his ennobled name, Pilâtre de Rozier. He opened his own museum in the Marais quarter of Paris on 11 December 1781, where he undertook experiments in physics and provided demonstrations to nobles. He researched the new field of gases and invented a respirator.

In June 1783, he witnessed the first public demonstration of a balloon by the Montgolfier brothers. On 19 September, he assisted with the untethered flight of a sheep, a cockerel, and a duck from the front courtyard of the Palace of Versailles. King Louis XVI decided that the first manned flight would contain two condemned criminals, but de Rozier enlisted the help of the Duchess de Polignac to support his view that the honour should belong to someone of higher status, and the Marquis d'Arlandes agreed to accompany him. After several tethered tests, de Rozier and d'Arlandes made their first untethered flight on 21 November 1783, taking off at around 2 pm from the garden of the Château de la Muette in the Bois de Boulogne. Their 25-minute flight travelled about 5½ miles (9 km) to the southeast, attaining an altitude of 3,000 feet, before landing at the Butte-aux-Cailles.

Along with Joseph Montgolfier, he was one of six passengers on a second flight on 19 January 1784, with a huge Montgolfier balloon Le Flesselles launched from Lyon. He took part in a further flight on 23 June 1784, in a modified version of the Montgolfiers' first balloon christened La Marie-Antoinette, together with Joseph Proust. They flew 52 km in 45 minutes, setting records for speed, altitude, and distance. His final flight was an attempt to cross the English Channel using a hybrid hydrogen and hot air balloon, the Rozière balloon. On 15 June 1785, he and Pierre Romain launched from Boulogne-sur-Mer. After making some progress, a change of wind direction pushed them back over land. The balloon caught fire in midair and crashed near Wimereux, killing both occupants.

Reader's Guide

Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier holds a foundational place in aviation history as the first person to make a crewed free balloon flight, confirmed as the first human flight of any kind. His 25-minute flight on 21 November 1783 with François Laurent d'Arlandes demonstrated that controlled, untethered flight was possible, opening the era of human aviation. Beyond this milestone, Rozier was a dedicated scientist and teacher who conducted experiments in physics and gases, invented a respirator, and established his own museum in Paris. His later flights pushed the boundaries of altitude, speed, and distance, including a 52 km journey in 45 minutes. His final attempt to cross the English Channel ended in tragedy when his hybrid balloon caught fire and crashed, making him and Pierre Romain the first known fatalities in an air crash. The modern hybrid gas and hot air balloon is named the Rozière balloon after his pioneering design. His legacy endures as both a daring pioneer and a cautionary figure in the history of flight.

Did You Know?

• He invented a respirator and researched the new field of gases.
• He and Pierre Romain became the first known fatalities in an air crash on 15 June 1785.