Ader Éole III
| Éole III | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Experimental airplane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
October 14, 1897 |
| Number of pieces: |
1 |
The Ader Éole III (also called Avion III or Aquilon ) was Clément Ader's attempt to develop an aircraft . The basis for the model was the predecessor Avion II . The construction of the Avion III lasted from 1894 to 1897.
construction
The Éole III had the shape of a huge bat, made of wood and canvas with a wingspan of almost 15 m. Ader had not only modeled the shape but also the supporting structure of the animal's skeleton. This construction method , i.e. the derivation of technology from biology, is also known as bionics .
It was powered by two four-bladed propellers, which were driven by two extremely light steam engines with 30 hp each. The control of the flight apparatus was made possible by a rudder and movable wings that could change their curvature. However, the view for the pilot was severely restricted by the stem. The flying machine weighed just under 250 kg (without the pilot).
Attempted flight
On October 14, 1897, the boilers were heated and Ader appeared before an official commission to prove that his flying machine could actually fly. However, Ader was unable to take off the Avion III over long distances due to his lack of flight knowledge and the unstable flight situation. Only short leaps in the air, called hops by the commission , were observed. Nevertheless, the Avion III was an outstanding design and represents a milestone in the development of motorized aviation.
The Avion III is one of the permanent exhibits of the Musée des arts et métiers , a museum for scientific instruments and inventions in Paris. The museum exhibited the machine at the first aviation exhibition in the Grand Palais in Paris.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| span | 16 m |
| Wing area | 56 m² |
| Empty mass | 258 kg |
| drive | two steam engines, boiler output 40 hp |
Web links
- Development history and data sheet of the Éole III vein ( Memento from November 20, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) (History dictionary of the aviation company Airbus Group )
Individual evidence
- ^ Ader Éole III - The aviation pioneer Clément Ader. European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company EADS NV, July 20, 2008, archived from the original on November 20, 2008 ; accessed on January 15, 2014 .
- ↑ Archive link ( Memento from September 23, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ The First Paris Aeronautical Salon. In: Flight . Issued January 2, 1909 ( flightglobal.com )
- ^ Aeroplan Design and Construction. In: Flight. Edition of January 2, 1909, p. 8.