Louis Béchereau

Louis Béchereau (July 25, 1880 in Plou, Cher – March 18, 1970 in Paris) was a French aeronautical engineer and pioneer of French aviation.

After having attended the École nationale professionnelle in Vierzon, Béchereau went to the Arts et Métiers in Angers in 1896, and finished his studies in 1901. Before joining the army he took part in a model-making competition organized by L'Auto, taking first prize for a model subsequently manufactured for sale in Parisian department stores.

Demobilised in 1902, Béchereau joined a mechanical construction factory in Bezons where he took part in the development of a prototype car designed by Clément Ader. He took a number of trial flights with the Ader Éole or Avion.

In 1903 a nephew of Clément Ader in Levallois created the Société de Construction d'Appareils Aériens. In 1909 a client of the firm, Armand Deperdussin, had ordered the construction of an aeroplane that was exhibited in the windows of the Bon Marché store in Paris. In 1910 Deperdussin founded the Société de Production des Aéroplanes Deperdussin (SPAD) and appointed Béchereau as chief engineer.

From the beginning, Béchereau conceived the idea of monocoque fuselages, which would allow hitherto unthinkable levels of performance. His direct collaborators, Louis Janoir, chief pilot, and André Herbemont, were also graduates of the Arts et Métiers. Béchereau's revolutionary concept allowed the Deperdussin firm to win many prizes, including the famous Gordon Bennett Trophy in 1912 with Jules Védrines at the controls (first flight to achieve 100 mph), and again in 1913 with Maurice Prevost at the controls.

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