|
 |
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
| |
