IN MY BEAUTIFUL BALLOON

The history of aviation begins with balloonamania. Man had been earth-bound since time began. Some lazy ass caveman who did not care whether or not he got his steps in invented the wheel. Now man could go places faster and easier. But what if man could go faster and easier in the sky? Many brave men took to the sky in hot air balloons to create a new method of travel. Sophie Blanchard, the first professional lady balloonist soared above the earth to show the world women flying was not just a bunch of hot air.

In 1783 two French brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier launched the first piloted balloon into the air. Other brave souls took to the skies, including Elisabeth Thible, the first woman to fly in a hot air balloon. Balloonamania took hold. Balloonists gave public demonstrations, and crowds rioted if the demonstrations did not begin on time. Collectible balloon memorabilia became popular ; balloon themed scenes decorated plates and cups, snuff boxes, and jewelry. Poets like Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Percy Shelley, and William Wordsworth wrote odes to balloons. 

Jean-Pierre Blanchard, early balloon enthusiast, left his wife and children to devote his life to balloon travel. Blanchard manned the first balloon flight in America, witnessed by John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington. Along with an American, Dr. John Jeffries, Blanchard made the first balloon flight across the English channel. At a balloon demonstration he met 26 year old Sophie Armant. They married in 1804 and Sophie became Pierre's co-pilot.

Marie Madeline-Sophie Armant was born in Trois-Canon, France in 1778. Little is known about her early life. Sophie was described as timid with a nervous disposition. But in the air she was fearless. Despite a crash that left Pierre with the head injury and Sophie mute for a brief time, the two perfected ballooning. Sophie became the first woman to pilot her own balloon, and the first woman to be considered a professional balloonist. Sophie and Pierre experimented with parachuting. Pierre suffered a heart attack midflight on March 7th, 1809. He fell from the balloon and succombed to his injuries two weeks later.

Now responsible for the massive debt Pierre left behind, Sophie gave balloon demonstrations, dropping pyrotechnics into the sky from her balloon. The large sums of money she earned paid Pierre's debts. She preferred to fly overnight, sometimes sleeping in her balloon. Sophie became a favorite of Napoleon. The emperor named Sophie "Chief Minister of Ballooning," and "Aeronaut of the Official Festivals." Sophie ballooned in celebration of Napoleon's wedding and the birth of his son. Sophie flew across Italy and across the Alps in her balloon. When the French monarchy was restored, new King Louis XVIII named her "Official Aeronaut of the Restoration."

This gave Sophie a pretty solid reputation in the ballooning world. At one point she even talked Napoleon out of invading England by balloon. She drew large crowds at each of her aerial events. Even after paying Pierre's creditors Sophie continued her flights until fate intervened. Sophie took to the air above Paris's Tivoli Gardens. As she dropped a lit pyrotechnic the wind picked up the flame and Sophie's balloon blazed with fire. Sophie jumped from the basket, but became tangled in the safety webbing. She eventually fell to her death, just as Pierre had. She said before her flight - "Allons, ce sera pour la dernière fois" (let's go, this will be for the last time.) For women in aviation, that would not be the last time for ladies to fly, but they would never have been able to do so if Sophie Blanchard had not been among the first.

SOURCES :

King, Gilbert. Sophie Blanchard – The High Flying Frenchwoman Who Revealed the Thrill and Danger of Ballooning. 18 October 2012.

Sophie Blanchard. Wikipedia.

FURTHER MEDIA :

PODCASTS :

Frey, Holly / Wilson, Tracy V., hosts. "Sophie Blanchard and Ballonomania." Stuff You Missed In History Class, iheartradio, 30 October 2013.

Graham, Beckett / Vollenweider, Susan, hosts. "Sophie Blanchard." The History Chicks, Episode 20 A, Wondery, 20 January 2012.

Nelson, Katie Dr. / Meikle, Olivia, hosts. "THE AERONAUT - Sophie Blanchard." What'sHerName, Episode 29, Nelson, Katie Dr. / Meikle, Olivia, 3 December 2018.