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Tour de Calais
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Tour de Calais

balloon
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Quick Summary

The Tour de Calais was a hybrid balloon invented by Jean-FranƧois PilĆ¢tre de Rozier. It combined a hydrogen envelope for lift with a smaller hot-air envelope for flight control, eliminating the need for ballast or gas release. This innovative design aimed to overcome the limitations of purely hot-air or hydrogen balloons.1

The Tour de Calais was launched from Boulogne on June 15, 1785, with de Rozier and a passenger. Tragically, about 30 minutes into the flight, the balloon ignited and crashed, resulting in the first balloon fatalities. Modern investigations suggest a static discharge from the balloon's metallic coating may have caused the ignition. Despite this fatal outcome, de Rozier's hybrid design concept eventually contributed to successful long-distance balloon voyages.1

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. balloon flight - Charles and de Rozier join the race
  2. balloon
  3. balloon flight - The gasā€“hot air hybrid balloon

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