Eugène Godard
| Eugène Godard | |
|---|---|
Godard in 1868 by Louis Figuier
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| Full name | Eugène Godard Ainé |
| Born |
26 August 1827 Clichy, France |
| Died | 9 September 1890 (aged 63) Brussels, Belgium |
| Resting place |
Saint-Ouen Cemetery, Paris. 48°54′25″N 2°20′53″E / 48.906825°N 2.348092°E |
| Nationality | French |
| Aviation career | |
| Known for | Pioneering constructor of gas and hot air balloons Innovator of battlefield aerial reconnaissance Organizer of the first aeronautics competition in France |
| First flight | October 17, 1847 |
| Famous flights | First balloon flight in Wales First hot air balloon flight in London First passenger balloon flight in Canada |
| Awards | Aeronaut of the Emperor of Austria Aeronaut of the Emperor of France |
Eugène Godard Ainé is a notable French aeronaut, born in Clichy on August 26, 1827, died in Brussels on September 9, 1890.
In 1841, 14-year-old Eugène Godard enrolled at the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts in Paris. He did well in his studies and, being the son of a master mason, was intent on a career in architecture. After attending the launch of a gas balloon in 1845 however, he found his passion had a new direction and began building balloons. Although his first craft never managed to leave the ground, Godard persisted, and by the end of 1846 he had designed, built, and successfully launched several unmanned hydrogen balloons. He and his brother Louis established a workshop in Lille where the two constructed the balloon in which, on October 17, 1847, Eugène made his first free ascent, initiating his career as professional aeronaut and aerostat manufacturer.
In 1849, Godard went to Bordeaux and met the famous British balloonist Charles Green, who flew him aboard a balloon inflated with coal gas, which was cheaper and more easily obtained than hydrogen. Applying what he learned from Green, Godard constructed his next craft, which he named the Ville de Bordeaux.
On October 6, 1850 Godard made his first long-distance flight from the hippodrome at Place de l'Etoile in Paris to Gits, Belgium aboard his balloon the Ville de París, a craft that observers described as a “noble and gigantic” balloon. The Ville de París was reportedly destroyed by fire about a month later following a mishap in Marseille where Godard and four passengers lost control of the balloon. Fortunately all five people survived.
In 1852 Godard aided inventor Henri Giffard in construction the first steam airship. In 1853, launching from Vienna, Godard became only the second person to ever fly over the Austrian Alps.
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