Montgolfier isn't exactly the most well-known name in aviation, but indeed Jacques-Etienne and Joseph-Michel Montgolfier were pioneers in this field. They developed the hot air balloon, and Jacques-Etienne made the first ascent in it in 1783. Three other innovators, Jacques Charles, Anne-Jean Robert, and Nicholas-Louis Robert, are credited with developing the first hydrogen balloon, which was launched carrying Charles and Nicolas Robert about a month after the Montgol-fiers made history. Turning the concept of lighter-than-air flight into a viable transportation mode would take more than 100 years and would come in two distinct steps. First, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin-finally, a name we recognize!-patented the concept of a rigid airship in 1895, and then in 1910 Deutsche Luftschiffahrts AG initiated commercial air service using his design.
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