Tissandier Brothers' Airship

For years, airship engineers had been trying to create an electric airship. In 1881, brothers Albert and Gaston Tissandier created the world's first electric powered flight at an electricity exposition by attaching an electric motor to a dirigible. 

However, this airship had some major problems (airships in general were extremely expensive, slow, and vulnerable to stormy weather). It was not until October, 8 1883 that the Tissandier brothers achieved the first successful flight of a dirigible with an electric motor that had proper turning-- which meant it could complete a circular flight.

The airship's electric motor allowed for a consistency of weight, absence of fire, and could put an object in motion and could stop it easily (they did not have to wait until the steam was used up to stop). The ship traveled 8 mph, out-speeding the wind, and completed a 1 hour flight.

The balloon itself was cigar-shaped and measured about 92 ft long and 30 ft in diameter. It took seven hours to fill with pure gas, and was done using four hydrogen generators. The pure gas gave the balloon a better lift. Its basket was manufactured from bamboo and was suspended from the balloon by ribbons.

Interesting Facts About the Brothers:

1) The Tissandier brothers assembled a collection of more than 900 items relating to the early history of aeronautics, including images of balloons, airships, and flying machines; portraits of famous balloonists; views of numerous ascensions, accidents, and world’s fairs; cartoons featuring balloon themes; pictorial and textual broadsides; and colorful ephemera and poster advertisements.

2) During the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, Gaston Tissandier escaped Paris by balloon.

3) Gaston Tissandier, Joseph Croce-Spinelli, and Theodore Sivel completed a flight in April 1875 that reached an amazing altitude of 5.34 miles. Due to lack of oxygen from the thin air at this high altitude, however, his two companions did not survive, and Tissandier lost his hearing.