Jacques Schneider
Jacques Schneider (* 1879 ; † 1928 ) was a French industrialist, balloonist and airplane enthusiast, who was best known for the Schneider Trophy he donated .
Schneider was the son of an armaments manufacturer. For a long time he held the altitude record in ballooning with 10,081 m. He became enthusiastic about powered flight after he met Wilbur Wright in August 1908 at a flight demonstration by the Wright brothers in Le Mans .
When he had to give up flying due to a serious accident, he became the constant supporter of several competitions. On December 5, 1912, he proposed the “Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider”, the Schneider Trophy, at the Aéroclub de France , a competition for seaplanes intended to support the technical development of civil aviation. The planes should fly at least 150 miles. The prize was 25,000 gold francs , and a trophy of the same value was also awarded. The country that won three competitions within five years should keep the cup.
The competition was held from 1913 to 1931 - when England won the prize for the third time.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Schneider, Jacques |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French industrialist, founder of the Schneider Trophy |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1879 |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1928 |