1. Ernest Archdeacon was a French lawyer and aviation pioneer before the First World War.
15 Facts About Ernest Archdeacon
1. 2.
Ernest Archdeacon made his first balloon flight at the age of 20.
3.
Ernest Archdeacon commissioned a copy of the 1902 Wright No 3 glider but had only limited success.
4.
Ernest Archdeacon was regarded as France's foremost promoter and sponsor of aviation, offering prizes, commissioning designs, and organising tests and events.
5.
Ernest Archdeacon's most lasting contribution to aviation is the Aero-Club de France, the oldest aero-club in the world, which he co-founded in 1898.
6.
Ernest Archdeacon was born and raised in Paris, and studied law for a career at the bar.
7.
Ernest Archdeacon was a keen sporting motorist, taking part in many of the main events of the period.
8.
Ernest Archdeacon founded the Aero-Club de France, which is still the official authority of the organization of sports aviation in France.
9.
In 1903, Ernest Archdeacon commissioned an imperfect copy of the 1902 Wright glider from Monsieur Dargent at the military balloons and airships workshop at Chalais-Meudon.
10.
In October 1904, Ernest Archdeacon joined Deutsch de la Meurthe to offer a prize of 50,000 francs for the first heavier-than-air flight around a one kilometre closed circuit.
11.
Ernest Archdeacon went on to win the 100 metre prize on 12 November 1906.
12.
In 1906 Ernest Archdeacon commissioned a propeller-driven motorcycle, the Aeromotocyclette Anzani, which achieved a timed speed of 79.5 kilometres per hour at Acheres-la-Foret.
13.
Ernest Archdeacon was publicly sceptical of the brothers' claims in spite of published reports; he wrote several articles and stated that "the French would make the first public demonstration of powered flight".
14.
Ernest Archdeacon is widely cited as the first aeroplane passenger in Europe when he was piloted by Henry Farman at Ghent on 29 May 1908.
15.
Ernest Archdeacon was elected president of the Societe Francaise pour la Propagation de l'Esperanto in 1925, and advocated that international language until the end of his life.