French engineer (Muret, 1841 - Toulouse, 1925). Using the studies
of Louis Mouillard on the flight of birds, he built his first flying
machine in 1886, the Eole, a bat-like design run by a lightweight
steam engine of his own invention ; the wings, with a span of 14
yards. In August 1890, a second version of the Eole was built, on
October 9 at Armainvilliers (Seine-et-Marne), before witnesses, the
airplane managed to take off into the sky flying a distance of more
than 40 yards. This modest leap would be followed by others, often
unlucky. In August 1892, the Eole II flew a feat of 200 yards at a
field, and managed to excite the interest of the minister of war.
Ader built Eole III which he gave a name destined for good luck: the
Avion. The Avion was like an enormous bat of linen and wood, of 16
yards in wingspan, equipped with two puller propellors of four
blades. On October 14, 1897, at Satory, the Avion rolled, took off
towards the sky and flew a distance of more than 300 yards, the first
verified mechanical flight, and made its inventor "the father of
aviation", but the weather were bad, and Ader evidently did not
did not know how to pilot; the Avion could not completely travel the
circular course which the commission required, the flying machine
left the runway and was damaged and the commission stopped the
trials. Abandoning everything and in particular public
demonstrations, the "father of aviation" ended his life in
Muret, in obscurity. His Avion is still displayed at the museum of
the Conservatory of Arts and Industry in Paris.
He made the first
flying machine in the world. And now we travel with planes.
Thank you Noa!
ReplyDeleteI've been to that museum, and seen that plane, but I didn't know the full story, and that it was the first "avion"! It's sad that he ended his life in obscurity - he'd discovered that human flight was possible!