Charles Voisin (12 July 1882 in

Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of ...

– 26 September 1912 in Belleville-sur-Saône) was an early aviation pioneer from

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. He was the younger brother of

Gabriel Voisin Gabriel Voisin (5 February 1880 – 25 December 1973) was a French aviation pioneer and the creator of Europe's first manned, engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft capable of a sustained (1 km), circular, controlled flight, which was made ...

, also an aviation pioneer.

Biography

Charles joined his brother in 1906Monah Aviation Pioneers
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Appareils d'Aviation Les Frères Voisin Aéroplanes Voisin was a French aircraft manufacturing company established in 1905 by Gabriel Voisin and his brother Charles, and was continued by Gabriel after Charles died in an automobile accident in 1912; the full official company name then ...

'' ("Voisin Brothers' Flying Machines") was formed. Their first successful plane was built in 1907. This machine, a pusher biplane powered by an

Antoinette Antoinette is a given name, that is a diminutive feminine form of Antoine and Antonia (from Latin ''Antonius''). People with the name include: Nobles * Antoinette de Maignelais, Baroness of Villequier by marriage (1434–1474), mistress of C ...

engine, was built for Leon Delagrange and was tested by Charles in February–April before being handed over to him. The first powered flight was made on 16 March 1907, when Charles flew for 10 metres at Neuilly-Bagatelle. Voisins' aircraft became a significant advance in the aviation history. Record breaking flier

Henri Farman Henri Farman (26 May 1874– 17 July 1958) was a British-French aviator and aircraft designer and manufacturer with his brother Maurice Farman. Before dedicating himself to aviation he gained fame as a sportsman, specifically in cycling and moto ...

flew a Voisin pusher biplane in most of his early flights, notably so when he became first in Europe to successfully complete a 1 km closed circuit at

Issy-les-Moulineaux Issy-les-Moulineaux () is a commune in the southwestern suburban area of Paris, France, lying on the left bank of the river Seine. Its citizens are called ''Isséens'' in French. It is one of Paris' entrances and is located from Notre-Dame Cat ...

on January 13, 1908. Charles Voisin was present on the ground during this historic flight. Charles Voisin was killed in an automobile accident on 26 September 1912 near Belleville-sur-Saône. The early woman aviator Baroness de Laroche was injured in the same accident.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Voisin, Charles 1882 births 1912 deaths Aviators from Lyon Aviation pioneers Road incident deaths in France