Ader, Clement, << ah DAY, klay MAHN >> (1841-1925), a French electrical engineer, was a pioneer of powered flight. Ader built and piloted one of the earliest powered airplanes. He invented the French word for airplane, avion, from the initial letters of the phrase appareil volant imitant les oiseaux naturels, which means flying machine imitating natural birds. Aviation historians, however, consider Ader a controversial figure and believe that some of his claims were exaggerated.
Clement Agnes Ader was born on April 2, 1841, in Muret, France. He became interested in science at an early age. In 1873, Ader constructed a nonpowered flying machine. It resembled a bird and was made of goose feathers, but it never actually flew.
During the 1880’s, Ader developed the Eole, a batwinged, steam-powered aircraft. The plane was about 21 feet (6.5 meters) long and had a wingspan of about 45 feet (13.7 meters). In 1890, Ader flew the Eole about 165 feet (50 meters) on an estate near Paris. But he could neither control the plane nor keep it in the air for a sustained period.
In addition to his work with aircraft, Ader experimented with electrical communications. In 1881, he demonstrated in Paris a form of stereophonic sound transmitted over telephone lines. Ader died on May 3, 1925.
See also Aviation (Beginnings) .
