Charles Voisin (12 July 1882[1] in Lyon – 26 September 1912 in Belleville-sur-Saône) was an early aviation pioneer from France. He was the younger brother of Gabriel Voisin, also an aviation pioneer.
Biography
editCharles joined his brother in 1906[2] and the Appareils d'Aviation Les Frères Voisin ("Voisin Brothers' Flying Machines") was formed. Their first successful plane was built in 1907.[citation needed] This machine, a pusher biplane powered by an Antoinette engine, was built for Leon Delagrange and was tested by Charles in February–April before being handed over to him. The first powered flight was made on 16 March 1907, when Charles flew for 10 metres at Neuilly-Bagatelle.[3]
Voisins' aircraft became a significant advance in the aviation history. Record breaking flier Henri Farman flew a Voisin pusher biplane in most of his early flights, notably so when he became first in Europe to successfully complete a 1 km closed circuit at Issy-les-Moulineaux on January 13, 1908. Charles Voisin was present on the ground during this historic flight.
Charles Voisin was killed in an automobile accident on 26 September 1912 near Belleville-sur-Saône.[4] The early woman aviator Baroness de Laroche was injured in the same accident.[4]
References
edit
- ^ "Gabriel et Charles VOISIN : Biographie, oeuvres et genéalogie | Entre nous et nos ancêtres". 11 November 2012.
- ^ Monah Aviation Pioneers
- ^ "Early Aviators - The Earliest Early Birds". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
- ^ a b "Early Aviators - Charles Voisin". Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2007-09-24.