the Father of French Aviation

Clement Ader famous French Electrical Engineer was also interested in flight. in 1890 his first flying machine the Eole was able to fly for about 160ft. before crashing. Eole was powered by a 20hp steam engine. his next complete aircraft the Avion III was able to fly almost 1,000ft. in 1897. he thus predated the flight of the Wright Brothers by six years. the Wrights are considered to have been the first to make a heavier than air flight in a controllable aircraft. both of Ader's aircraft crashed at the ends of their flights because of controllability problems. nevertheless both flew for short distances. the Avion III was powered by two 20hp steam engines. the first picture shows Clement Ader and his first flying machine the Eole. second picture is the engine of the Eole. third picture is the engines of the Avion III. fourth and fifth are Avion III which still exists in a French Museum.