|
|
In 1909, during an era when short, low flights over open
fields were considered major victories, French inventor Louis
Blériot stunned the world by crossing the English
Channel in his Blériot XI monoplane. Covering 22 miles
of open water in only 36 and a half minutes, Blériot's
feat helped open the public's eyes to the practical uses of
flight. Demand for his Type XI skyrocketed, starting a
production run that would yield about 900 aircraft. Today,
only a handful of Blériot XIs remain, and fewer still
are in flying condition. In this audio interactive, explore
the oldest flying airplane in the United States and learn how
the pioneering design of the Blériot XI helped pave the
way for modern aviation. To launch the
interactive, click on
the image at left.—David Levin and Lexi Krock
|
|
