La Manche
The English Channel is a section of the Atlantic Ocean than separates England to the North from France in the South and connects the Atlantic Ocean to the North Sea. 560 km (150 miles) long, the English Channel has a width that varies between 34 km (21 miles) and 240 km (150 miles).
As one of the narrowest water surfaces and one of the most famous water surfaces in the World, its crossing has been a challenge to meet to demonstrate the validity of many inventions since the beginning of times.
First flight over the English Channel in 1785
In 1785, Jean-Pierre Blanchard and Dr. John Jeffries were the first to fly the English Channel in a balloon to deliver the very first airmail. The 2.5 hours trip was epic. After unexpectedly loosing a lot of altitude, they threw overboard everything they were carrying expect for the precious mail.
First flight over the English Channel in an airplane in 1909
En 1909, 124 years later, Louis Blériot demonstrated that airplanes could be used to accomplish the task even faster. A 37-minute flight ending with a dicey landing in bad weather earn him the 1,000 pounds prize offered by the London newspaper, the”Daily Mail”.
First flight between France and England by a woman pilot in 1909
The same year, Marie Marvingt flew her balloon from France to England via the North Sea and became the first woman to fly from France to England. In 1912, Eleanor Trehawke Davis became the female passenger to fly over the English Channel and probably the first one to fly the round trip. Her pilot, Gustav Hamel, became Harriet Quimby’s adviser and main support a few days later.
Harriet after her landing in France in 1912
Taking off at around 5:30 AM on April 16 1912, Harriet flew her Blériot airplane across the English Channel to demonstrate that women were as competent as men when it came to piloting an airplane to allow it to fulfill its innate destiny: moving things and reuniting people quickly and efficiently (read Harriet’s description of her flight).
Rossi flies above the English Channel
More recently, in 2008, Yves Rossi, an Airbus jet pilot, flew across the English Channel thanks to his jet wing pack and in 2010, Jonathan Trappe, completed the crossing in his balloon cluster.
On March 10 2012, we will set a new first over the English Channel: the most girls and women introduced to flying in small aircraft above the English Channel in one day!
Harriet's flight path
During her flight from Dover to Calais, Harrier Quimby lost sight of the French coastline. She aimed toward Gris-Nez.
Once there, she flew southwest along the coastline to Hardelot where Blériot had a hangar and landed.
