Clément Ader

Lore & Background

Clément Ader was largely self-taught in electrical engineering and in 1878 improved on the telephone invented by Alexander Graham Bell. He installed the first telephone line in Paris in 1880, though the broader network was built by others later. In 1881, he invented the théâtrophone, a system of telephonic transmission that enabled stereophonic perception of actors, giving the first stereo transmission of opera performances over a short distance. In 1903, he devised a V8 engine for the Paris–Madrid race, but although three or four were produced, none was sold.

Ader turned to mechanical flight, beginning construction of his first flying machine, the Ader Éole, in 1886, though it was not completed until 1890. It was a bat-like design powered by a lightweight steam engine of his own invention. On 9 October 1890, he attempted to fly the Éole; aviation historians credit this as a powered take-off and uncontrolled flight in ground effect of approximately 50 m (160 ft) at a height of about 20 centimetres (8 in). He began a second aircraft, Avion II (also called Zephyr or Éole II), but most sources agree it was never completed. With backing from the French War Office, he developed the Avion III, which resembled an enormous bat. On 12 October 1897 he carried out taxiing trials, and two days later attempted a flight; the machine was caught by a gust of wind, slewed off the track, and came to a stop. The French army withdrew funding, and an official report released in November 1910 stated the attempts were unsuccessful.

Reader's Guide

Clément Ader's significance lies in his early, if disputed, attempts at powered flight and his broader contributions to engineering. His 1890 flight in the Éole is recognized by aviation historians as a powered take-off and uncontrolled flight in ground effect, marking an early milestone. Although his later Avion III failed to achieve sustained flight, his work attracted military interest and influenced the development of aviation. Ader's 1909 book 'L'Aviation Militaire' was notable for its vision of aerial warfare and for foreseeing the modern aircraft carrier, with a flat flight deck, island superstructure, deck elevators, and a hangar bay. His idea for an aircraft carrier was relayed by the US naval attaché in Paris and followed by the first trials in the United States in November 1910. Ader's aircraft gave the French language the word 'avion' for a heavier-than-air aircraft. In 1938, France issued a postage stamp honoring him, and Airbus named one of its aircraft assembly sites in Toulouse after him. He has been referred to as 'the father of aviation.'

Did You Know?

• In 1881, Ader invented the théâtrophone, which gave the first stereo transmission of opera performances over a short distance.
• Ader's 1890 flight in the Éole is credited by aviation historians as a powered take-off and uncontrolled flight in ground effect of about 50 m (160 ft).
• His 1909 book 'L'Aviation Militaire' foresaw the modern aircraft carrier with a flat flight deck, island superstructure, deck elevators, and a hangar bay.
• The French word 'avion' for a heavier-than-air aircraft originated from Ader's aircraft.