Then came -the great experience
—the greatest stunt of pre-war
aviation. Bleriot caused a sensation
with his announcement that Se
intended to fly across the English
Channel. He accomplished the feat
on July 25, 1909, flying from Calais
to Dover. The destroyer Escopette
was assigned to steer the course.
Apparently, the idea that Bleriot's
machine might move faster than
a destroyer never entered anyone’s
head.
Pulls Away
At first Bleriot's machine moved
above the vessel. Then, seemingly
bothered by the smoke from the
destroyer’s stacks, it steered slightly
away. Little by little, it pulled
away despite the efforts of the
1 Escopette to keep ahead.
In exactly 38 minutes the air
plane covered the 38 kilometers
123.5 miles) between Fiance and
England, and Bleriot by his feat
won a prize of $5,000 offered by a
London newspaper for the first
flight across the channel.
Acclaimed Everywhere
Bleriot was acclaimed everywhere
he went in England and was greet
ed by a characteristic wild French
demonstration on his return to
Paris. He was congratulated by
the Government and made an of
ficer of the Legion of Honor. His
plane was placed on exhibition and
among many offers he received was
one for a vaudeville engagement
in the United States.
Several years elapsed before Bler
iot confessed what was the great
moment of his channel flight. It
was not the safe landing, but the
sight of the chalk cliffs of Dover
after they had been hidden from
sight for more than ten minutes.
In the early days of his flying
career, Bleriot had many exciting
moments, and met with many mis
haps during the experimental
stage of his flying machines.
