Pierre Testu-Brissy (or possibly Tessu-Brissy) (1770? – 1829) was a pioneering French balloonist who achieved fame for making flights astride his horse.Internet Archive.org. Smithsonian Collection. Histoire des ballons et des aéronautes célèbres, by Tissandier, Gaston, Published 1887, Testu Brissy :- Pages 289, 290, 294, 300.
Career Testu-Brissy made his first balloon ascent in 1785 or 1786, and the first night ascent on 11 May or 18 June 1786 in a hydrogen balloon. He subsequently undertook more than 50 flights in his lifetime.Ballooning History, Who's Who.
Gaston Tissandier's Histoire des ballons et des aéronautes célèbres (History of famous balloons and aeronauts) (published in 1887) described Testu-Brissy's earliest ballooning thus :Internet Archive.org. Smithsonian Collection. Histoire des ballons et des aéronautes célèbres, by Tissandier, Gaston, Published 1887, Testu Brissy :- Pages 289
He also described his first ascent, thus:Internet Archive.org. Smithsonian Collection. Histoire des ballons et des aéronautes célèbres, by Tissandier, Gaston, Published 1887, Testu Brissy :- Pages 290
Scientific experimentation On 18 June 1786 he flew for 11 hours and made the first electrical observations as he ascended into thunderclouds. He stated that he drew remarkable discharges from the clouds by means of an iron rod carried in the basket. He also experienced Saint Elmo's Fire, a phenomenon in which luminous plasma is created by a corona discharge from a rod-like object in an atmospheric electric field.Airships Past and Present by A Hilderbrandt. 1908. pp239 Scientific Ballooning.
Damage compensation In 1786 Testu-Brissy was the first man who was called upon to pay damages for crops which had been trampled (mostly) by the rustics who flocked to see him.Airships Past and Present by A Hilderbrandt. 1908. Scientific Ballooning.Airships Past and Present by A Hilderbrandt. 1908. pp184 Scientific Ballooning.
Equestrian ballooning On 15 October 1798 in Paris, Testu-Brissy completed the first balloon flight on horseback, ascending from Bellevue, Meudon (Château de Bellevue). The horse, which had been trained to stand perfectly still regardless of surrounding activities, endured bleeding from its nose and ears due to the altitude.Internet Archive.org. Smithsonian Collection. Histoire des ballons et des aéronautes célèbres, by Tissandier, Gaston, Published 1887, Testu Brissy :- Pages 294
Gaston Tissandier's Histoire des ballons et des aéronautes célèbres (History of famous balloons and aeronauts) described Testu-Brissy's equestrian ballooning thus :
Contradictory dates This article currently shows contradictions between sources regarding dates. Tetsu-Brissy's first flight is loosely reported by some sources as 1785 (First B-Ascent 1785; First B-Solo 18 Sep.1791 from Paris) or June 18, 1786, at 4.50 pm, from the Jardin du Luxembourg to the plain of Montmorency, Val-d'Oise. Tetsu-Brissy's 11 hour flight (night flight?) is reported by some sources as 11 May or 18 June 1786 from Paris. Tetsu-Brissy's equestrian stunt flight is loosely reported by some sources as 1786 (L'ascension de Cessu-Brissy à Limoges en 1786 Smithsonian image), or 1787 (Image on French plate from the 1800s), or 15 Oct.1798 or October 17, 1798 (26 Vendémiaire of year VII).
See also History of ballooning List of firsts in aviation Timeline of aviation - 18th century Jean-Pierre Blanchard Jacques Charles André-Jacques Garnerin Citoyenne Henri Nicolas-Louis Robert see (Les Frères Robert) Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier, the first manned balloon flight using a Montgolfier hot-air balloon
Notes
References
Timelineof aviationpre-18th century18th century19th century20th century begins21st century begins Ballooning History Kites, Balloons, and Daredevils Airships Past and Present by A Hilderbrandt. 1908. Scientific Ballooning.