[00:01.040]--- lesson 20 Pioneer pilots
[00:05.400]--- Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
[00:11.080]--- What was the name of the first plane to fly across the English Channel?
[00:17.840]In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of $1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel.^1908
[00:27.800]Over a year passed before the first attempt was made.
[00:32.080]On July 19th, 1909, in the early morning, Hubert Latham took off from the French coast in his plane the 'Antoinette IV'.^1909
[00:43.160]He had travelled only seven miles across the Channel when his engine failed and he was forced to land on the sea.
[00:50.480]The 'Antoinette' floated on the water until Latham was picked up by a ship.^“
[00:56.200]Two days later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called 'No. XI'.
[01:03.320]Bleriot had been making planes since 1905 and this was his latest model.
[01:10.200]A week before, he had completed a successful overland flight during which he covered twenty-six miles.
[01:17.840]Latham, however, did not give up easily.
[01:21.120]He, too, arrived near Calais on the same day with a new 'Antoinette'.
[01:26.800]It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel.
[01:31.320]Both planes were going to take off on July 25th,
[01:35.240]but Latham failed to get up early enough,
[01:38.760]After making a short test flight at 4:15 a.m., Bleriot set off half an hour later.
[01:46.000]His great flight lasted thirty-seven minutes.
[01:49.960]When he landed near Dover, the first person to greet him was a local policeman.
[01:55.600]Latham made another attempt a week later and got within half a mile of Dover, but he was unlucky again.
[02:03.400]His engine failed and he landed on the sea for the second time.