Centenary of the First Flight across the english Channel

An important milestone in the history of Aviation.

The world was startled a century ago on, 25th July, 1909 when a 37 year old frenchman Louis Bleriot, flew across the English Channel in an aircraft designed and built by himself - the Bleriot XI. The 37 minute flight from Les Barraques, near Calais, France to Dover, England undetaken in bad weather earned him the 1000 pounds reward offered by The Daily Mail for the first aviator to cross the Channel in either direction.


His accomplishment delighted the public and shocked many in the British Military and Political establishment when they realised that Britain was susceptible to attack by air. Britain had a strong navy and could face an attack from the sea but not from the air. Politicians saw that Britian was not prepared for this new transportation system and technology.


David Lloyd George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said "Flying machines are no longer toys and dreams, they are established fact. The possibilities of this new system of locomotion are infinite. I feel, as a Britisher, rather ashamed that we are so completely out of it.