Louis Mouillard
Louis Pierre-Marie Mouillard (born September 30, 1834 in Lyon , † September 20, 1897 in Cairo ) was a French engineer of the 19th century and a pioneer of aircraft construction . His theses, which were partially derived from research into bird flight in Alexandria , were later adopted by the Wright brothers .
He is the author of numerous essays, including the most famous, "The Empire of the Skies" ( L'empire de l'air ), in which he first described gliders with a fixed wing. Published in France in 1881, the book became a globally recognized classic within a few years. In this work he led u. a. the principle of "wing twisting", a forerunner of the aileron control, as well as the idea of a powered airplane ( aéroplane à moteur ). The English translation was published in 1893 by the Smithsonian Institution under the title "The Empire Of The Air".
Mouillard experimented with gliders from 1856 onwards. Although his own gliders were unsuccessful, he quickly understood the importance of gliding for the future of aviation - a view that Otto Lilienthal later shared.
The Mouillard Glacier in Antarctica bears his name in his honor.
Web links
- 'L'empire de l'air
- Biography of Mouillard on the Monash University website
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Mouillard, Louis |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Mouillard, Louis Pierre-Marie |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French engineer, pioneer of aircraft construction |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 30, 1834 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Lyon |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 20, 1897 |
| Place of death | Cairo |