Jean Pilâtre de Rozier was a French pioneer of ballooning. In November 1783 he and the Marquis d'Arlandes were the first to fly in an untethered, hot-air balloon. During a flight lasting about 25 minutes, they covered a distance of 8 kilometers (5 miles). In 1785 Pilâtre de Rozier was killed while attempting to cross the English Channel by balloon.