The Montgolfier brothers first test fly a hot air balloon in France; it floats nearly 2 km (1.2 mi).
The Montgolfier brothers – Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (French pronunciation: [ʒozɛf miʃɛl mɔ̃ɡɔlfje]; 26 August 1740 – 26 June 1810) and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier (French pronunciation: [ʒak etjɛn mɔ̃ɡɔlfje]; 6 January 1745 – 2 August 1799) – were aviation pioneers, balloonists and paper manufacturers from the commune Annonay in Ardèche, France. They are best known historically as inventors of the Montgolfière-style hot air balloon, globe aérostatique, which launched the first confirmed piloted ascent by man in 1783, carrying Jacques-Étienne. Joseph-Michel also invented the self-acting hydraulic ram (1796) and Jacques-Étienne founded the first paper-making vocational school. Together, the brothers invented a process to manufacture transparent paper.