Paper Session II-A - Navigating the Air: A History of Flight Before the Wright Brothers

When, on June 5 1783, Joseph and Etienne de Montgolfier launched for the first time in public their MACHINE AEROSTATIQUE, an immense enthusiasm took over the whole world. Never, except perhaps with the discovery of America, did any scientific event captured so much the passions of the masses: It seemed that finally MAN had conquered the atmosphere. HE was the master of the air just as much as he was already the master of the Earth and the Sea. Space belonged to him, and for most enthusiasts going to the moon was going to be just a game. Now a century or more has passed, and the hopes that the invention of Montgolfier had raised have not yet been realized in spite of the very large progresses that have been made. [Are] ... the roads of the atmosphere are closed to us forever? Must we no longer hope to follow one day the eagle in his flight because after 125 years man cannot yet travel at his will within space [the atmosphere]? ... all leads us to expect that the 20th century will bring us the complete solution to the problem. Will it be through Dirigible Balloons? Or through the pure heavier than air aircrafts? The future will teach us soon... J. LeCornu, Editor La Navigation Aerienne Paris, 190