A replica of a Blériot XI aircraft designed and used in the early years of aviation.
The Blériot XI was a propeller-driven aircraft built by Blériot Aéronautique, a company founded by Louis Blériot. Blériot was therefore the designer of the aircraft, which was built in 1908. On 23 January 1909, Blériot made his first flight with the plane at an air show in Paris. On 25 July 1909, he ventured across the Channel. The flight, from Calais to Dover, was the first successful flight across the Channel and lasted 36.5 minutes. This flight took place in poor weather conditions, with Blériot having no compass to navigate with. His landing was quite hard, causing the landing gear and propeller to break off, but Blériot remained unscathed.
Kris Christiaens is a professional aviation photographer who always tries to portray the power, manoeuvrability and history of aircraft and helicopters in the most original and impressive way possible... Read more…