1875 - made his first balloon ascent. 1885 - made a parachute descent from a balloon and was known as 'The Father of the Modern Parachute' thereafter. 1888 - made a parachute descent at Alexandra Palace, in front of the royal family and 50,000 spectators. 1904 - built a dirigible, utilising a Curtiss Engine. 1911 - invented a bi-plane called 'The Red Devil'. 1914 - designed the US Navy’s first successful dirigible, the DN-I.