Ernest Failloubaz
Encyclopedia
Ernest Failloubaz was a Swiss
aviation
pioneer. He received the pilot's brevet number 1 issued in Switzerland on October 11, 1910, and did the first flight in Switzerland of an aircraft built and flown by Swiss citizen.
who planned to build his own aircraft, using only a picture of Louis Blériot's
aircraft. Due to Grandjean's inventiveness and craftsman qualities, they completed this first aircraft in October 1909. The ground tests started in February 1910 at the l’Estivage field in Avenches
. What is recognized as of today as being the starting point of the Swiss aviation, happened on May 10, 1910: Ernest Failloubaz piloted the machine, took off, flies and landed smoothly, resulting in the first flight in Switzerland of an aircraft built and flown by a Swiss citizen. René Grandjean succeeded a few days after his friend's first flight. Failloubaz went to Paris
at end of May 1910 to buy a Santos-Dumont Demoiselle
and brought it immediately back to Avenches where he trained daily. A few months later, having reached the limits of the Demoiselle, he bought the more powerful Blériot monoplane to allow him flying higher and longer.
With this aircraft Failloubaz participated at the flight meeting in Viry, Haute-Savoie
, in August 1910 and dared what no one else had ever attempted before: Stopping the engine in flight, gliding and restarting his engine. On September 28, 1910, he succeeded in the first city-to-city flight in Switzerland from Avenches to Payerne
, lasting six minutes.
On October 2, Failloubaz participated at the first Swiss flight meeting in Avenches. From October 8 to 10, at the Bern meeting, he succeeded again: A flight of 58 minutes and 17 seconds was a new record.
On October 1, 1910, Failloubaz obtained the Swiss pilot's licence number 1 (number 2 was issued to Emile Taddéoli
) with the congratulations from the Confederation’s president and a gold watch inscripted "The Swiss Confederation to Ernest Failloubaz. Licence No 1 October 1910." The same day, the first Swiss airport and the first pilot school was inaugurated in Avenches.
In January 1911 Failloubaz received his new aircraft from Armand Dufaux
, a Dufaux 5
biplane, later he acquired the licence to build it in Switzerland as Failloubaz-Licence Dufaux. On May 11, 1911, the airport company and flying school of Avenches is constituted, Failloubaz being the main financier.
From September 4 to 6, 1911, Failloubaz participated as pilot (his friend Gustave Lecoultre as observer) to an exercise with the 1st Swiss Army Corps and demonstrated the military possibilities of aircraft with his Dufaux 5; the beginning of the military aviation in Switzerland.
On October 1, 1911, 15,000 visitors enthusiastically followed Failloubaz' exploits at the flight meeting in Avenches. Guided by counselors, Failloubaz invested all his money in the first Swiss flight school, an aircraft production facility and the airport in Avenches. Everything and everyone was pushing him forward, he was everywhere, he paid all, got tired, exhausted. The money started to be missing, politicians who had supported Failloubaz began to abandon him, bankruptcy followed and Failloubaz was wrecked. At the beginning of World War I, he failed the medical examination for future military pilots. Although he was director of the new airport in Dübendorf
, since October 1913 Failloubaz had no aircraft of his own and nobody wanted to lend him one.
On April 28, 1916, Failloubaz had not flown for 30 months, he visited l’Estivage airfield one last time when Marcel Pasche landed with a brand new Blériot. Pasche didn’t hesitate, and Failloubaz did in the evening for what was the last flight of the first and most legendary Swiss pilot. At the age of 26, Failloubaz died in the cantonal hospital of Lausanne on Tuberculosis.
airport in Payerne.
Failloubaz is commemorated in a Swiss postage stamp issued on March 4, 2010, to celebrate 100 years aviation in Switzerland.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
pioneer. He received the pilot's brevet number 1 issued in Switzerland on October 11, 1910, and did the first flight in Switzerland of an aircraft built and flown by Swiss citizen.
Life
Ernest Failloubaz' father Jules, a rich wine merchant, died when Ernest was four years old. Six years later his mother Emilie died, too. His grandmother and aunt, who owned the local bakery, then took care of him. As a child, Ernest was already passionate about mechanics and speed and convinced his grandmother to buy him probably one of the first motorcycles in Switzerland, later an automobile.Beginning of the Swiss Aviation
In early 1909, at the age of 17, Failloubaz met René GrandjeanRené Grandjean
René Grandjean was a Swiss aviation pioneer. He designed and built the aircraft that was flown by Ernest Failloubaz for the first flight in Switzerland of an aircraft built and flown by Swiss citizen, was probably the first glacier pilot and was pioneering on seaplanes.- Life :In 1890 Grandjean's...
who planned to build his own aircraft, using only a picture of Louis Blériot's
Louis Blériot
Louis Charles Joseph Blériot was a French aviator, inventor and engineer. In 1909 he completed the first flight across a large body of water in a heavier-than-air craft, when he crossed the English Channel. For this achievement, he received a prize of £1,000...
aircraft. Due to Grandjean's inventiveness and craftsman qualities, they completed this first aircraft in October 1909. The ground tests started in February 1910 at the l’Estivage field in Avenches
Avenches
Avenches is a Swiss municipality in the canton of Vaud, located in the district of Broye-Vully.-History:The roots of Avenches go back to the Celts...
. What is recognized as of today as being the starting point of the Swiss aviation, happened on May 10, 1910: Ernest Failloubaz piloted the machine, took off, flies and landed smoothly, resulting in the first flight in Switzerland of an aircraft built and flown by a Swiss citizen. René Grandjean succeeded a few days after his friend's first flight. Failloubaz went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
at end of May 1910 to buy a Santos-Dumont Demoiselle
Santos-Dumont Demoiselle
-External links:...
and brought it immediately back to Avenches where he trained daily. A few months later, having reached the limits of the Demoiselle, he bought the more powerful Blériot monoplane to allow him flying higher and longer.
With this aircraft Failloubaz participated at the flight meeting in Viry, Haute-Savoie
Viry, Haute-Savoie
Viry, Haute-Savoie is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
, in August 1910 and dared what no one else had ever attempted before: Stopping the engine in flight, gliding and restarting his engine. On September 28, 1910, he succeeded in the first city-to-city flight in Switzerland from Avenches to Payerne
Payerne
Payerne is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It was the seat of the district of Payerne, and is now part of the district of Broye-Vully....
, lasting six minutes.
On October 2, Failloubaz participated at the first Swiss flight meeting in Avenches. From October 8 to 10, at the Bern meeting, he succeeded again: A flight of 58 minutes and 17 seconds was a new record.
On October 1, 1910, Failloubaz obtained the Swiss pilot's licence number 1 (number 2 was issued to Emile Taddéoli
Emile Taddéoli
Emile Taddéoli was a Swiss aviation pioneer. He was active as a pilot, instructor, test pilot, and also the probably most prominent pioneer using seaplanes in Switzerland...
) with the congratulations from the Confederation’s president and a gold watch inscripted "The Swiss Confederation to Ernest Failloubaz. Licence No 1 October 1910." The same day, the first Swiss airport and the first pilot school was inaugurated in Avenches.
In January 1911 Failloubaz received his new aircraft from Armand Dufaux
Armand Dufaux
Armand Dufaux was a Swiss aviation pioneer who became famous for flying the length of Lake Geneva in 1910.He and his brother, Henri Dufaux were natives of Geneva...
, a Dufaux 5
Dufaux 5
The Dufaux 5 is a two-seat airplane built by French-Switzerland aviation pioneers Henri and Armand Dufaux.-Construction and development:After Armand Dufaux had flown over the Geneva for its entire length with the Dufaux 4 on 28 August 1910,and the world record by Louis Blériot was significantly...
biplane, later he acquired the licence to build it in Switzerland as Failloubaz-Licence Dufaux. On May 11, 1911, the airport company and flying school of Avenches is constituted, Failloubaz being the main financier.
From September 4 to 6, 1911, Failloubaz participated as pilot (his friend Gustave Lecoultre as observer) to an exercise with the 1st Swiss Army Corps and demonstrated the military possibilities of aircraft with his Dufaux 5; the beginning of the military aviation in Switzerland.
On October 1, 1911, 15,000 visitors enthusiastically followed Failloubaz' exploits at the flight meeting in Avenches. Guided by counselors, Failloubaz invested all his money in the first Swiss flight school, an aircraft production facility and the airport in Avenches. Everything and everyone was pushing him forward, he was everywhere, he paid all, got tired, exhausted. The money started to be missing, politicians who had supported Failloubaz began to abandon him, bankruptcy followed and Failloubaz was wrecked. At the beginning of World War I, he failed the medical examination for future military pilots. Although he was director of the new airport in Dübendorf
Dübendorf
Dübendorf is a municipality in the district of Uster in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.It is a suburb of Zürich in Switzerland with a population of about 23,000 . It is the fourth largest city in the canton, after Zürich, Winterthur, and Uster.-History:Dübendorf is first mentioned in 946 as...
, since October 1913 Failloubaz had no aircraft of his own and nobody wanted to lend him one.
On April 28, 1916, Failloubaz had not flown for 30 months, he visited l’Estivage airfield one last time when Marcel Pasche landed with a brand new Blériot. Pasche didn’t hesitate, and Failloubaz did in the evening for what was the last flight of the first and most legendary Swiss pilot. At the age of 26, Failloubaz died in the cantonal hospital of Lausanne on Tuberculosis.
Honor
In 1942, a monument in memory of Ernest Failloubaz was erected in Avenches, in 1960 a second one by the Swiss government at the Swiss Air ForceSwiss Air Force
The Swiss Air Force is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces, established on July 31, 1914, as part of the Army and as of January 1966 an independent service.In peacetime, Dübendorf is the operational Air Force HQ...
airport in Payerne.
Failloubaz is commemorated in a Swiss postage stamp issued on March 4, 2010, to celebrate 100 years aviation in Switzerland.