January 7: The English Channel is crossed for the first time by air as Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries fly their hydrogen balloon from Dover, England to a forest near Calais, France.

June 3: Jean-Pierre Blanchard experiments with a parachute, releasing a silk parachute 20 feet in diameter, loaded with weight over England. Later he drops dogs attached to parachutes from his balloon.

July 12: The first manned balloon ascent in Holland is made by Jean-Pierre Blanchard in Hague.

October 3: Jean-Pierre Blanchard makes the 1st manned balloon ascent in Germany.