Louis Bleriot
Louis Bleriot (1872-1936), French aviator, the first man to fly across the English Channel. He conducted experiments with gliders and biplanes and subsequently developed his own powered monoplane. The record flight took place on 25 July 1909, when he flew from Calais to Dover in 37 minutes using his small 24 horse-power monoplane. This achievement played a significant role in the development of aviation and impressed governments all over the world with the importance of this new means of travel. During World War I Bleriot built planes for the French government and made important innovations in aircraft design.
