Editing Jacques Charles (section)

===Further ballooning activities===
The next project of Charles and the Robert brothers was to build an elongated, steerable craft that followed [[Jean Baptiste Meusnier]]'s proposals (1783–85) for a dirigible balloon. The design incorporated Meusnier's internal ''ballonnet'' (air cells), a rudder and a method of propulsion.<ref name="BioDic HisTec"/>

Charles chose never to fly in this craft, but on 15 July 1784, the brothers flew for 45 minutes from [[Saint-Cloud]] to [[Meudon]] with M. Collin-Hullin and [[Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans|Louis Philippe II, the Duke of Chartres]] in ''La Caroline''. It was fitted with oars for propulsion and direction, but they proved useless. The absence of a 'gas release valve' meant that the duke had to slash the 'ballonnet' to prevent rupture when they reached an altitude of circa {{convert|4500|m|ft|-2}}.<ref name=FAI/><ref name="FAA Oct 2001"/>

On 19 September 1784, the Robert brothers and M. Collin-Hullin flew for 6 hours 40 minutes, covering 186&nbsp;km from Paris to [[Beuvry]] near [[Béthune]]. This was the first flight over 100&nbsp;km.<ref name=FAI/><ref name="FAA Oct 2001"/>
: