Jean Louis Conneau
| Jean Louis Conneau | |
|---|---|
 Jean Louis Conneau aka André Beaumont | |
| Born |
8 February 1880 Lodève, Hérault |
| Died |
5 August 1937 (aged 57) Lodève, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Other names | André Beaumont |
| Occupation |
Naval Lieutenant, Aircraft pilot, Company director, Flying boat manufacturer |
| Known for | winning Air races - 1911 'Paris-Rome'; 'Circuit d'Europe'; Circuit of Britain Race |
Jean Louis Conneau (8 Feb 1880 Lodève, Hérault – 5 August 1937, Lodève), better known under the pseudonym André Beaumont, was a pioneer French aviator, Naval Lieutenant and Flying boat manufacturer.[1]
Flying career
Conneau used the pseudonym "Beaumont" because, as a serving member of the French armed forces, he was not permitted to use his own name. He earned his French pilot's license on 7 December 1910 (#322), and his military pilot's license on 18 December 1911 (#4).[1]
Air races
In 1911 he won three of the toughest aeronautical tests: the 'Paris-Rome' race, the first Circuit d'Europe (Tour of Europe) (Paris-Liege-Spa-Utrecht-Brussels-Calais-London-Calais-Paris) on 7 July 1911, and the Daily Mail Circuit of Britain Race (England and Scotland) on 26 July 1911, flying a Blériot XI.[1] He also participated in the ill-fated 1911 Paris to Madrid air race in May the same year.
During the Paris-Liege leg of the 'Circuit d'Europe' his support engineer and teammate Léon Lemartin was involved in a fatal accident on take-off.[2]
Aircraft manufacture
In 1913 he co-founded the Franco-British Aviation (FBA) to build flying boats (Fr. Hydravions (Hydraplanes)). It had its headquarters in London and a factory in Paris and supplied both the French and British armed services.[3]
As a flying boat pilot, during the World War I he commanded squadrons at Nice, Bizerte, Dunkirk, and Venice. He worked at Franco-British Aviation perfecting flying boats for the French Navy from 1915 until 1919. He later became the Technical Director of Donnet-Lévèque who manufactured flying boats.[1]
Publications
- Mes trois grandes courses, (My three major races) Hachette, Paris, 1912.
References
- 1 2 3 4 Early Aviators - profile of Jean Conneau, AKA André Beaumont
- ↑ "Three Men Die In Paris Flight. Five Also Hurt at Start of Big Circuit Race to London and Back.". New York Times. June 19, 1911. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
Two prominent aviators were killed and several injured in the first stage of the European Circuit aeroplane race from Paris to London and back, which started to-day from the aviation field at Vincennes, with stops at various places going and returning, while another competitor was killed near Chateau-Thierry.
- ↑ "Jean Conneau". Early Aviators. Retrieved 2010-11-04.