Passion

Book. “Histoire de l’aviation à Poitiers et dans la Vienne au XXe siècle”

This work retraces the history of aviation in the Vienne department (86) over the past century.

This work retraces the history of aviation in the Vienne department (86) over the past century.

A century of aviation in one department! That’s the focus of this highly local retrospective, featuring a detailed list of all aviation events that took place in the Poitou region in the 20th century: between 1909 and 1914, in the years leading up to World War I, at the very start of the war (notably when Blériot’s aircraft, “La Vienne” was named after the department), with Jacques de Grailly, a member of the military, and Gilbert Landry, a civilian.

In more recent times, it’s important to mention the evolution of Poitiers-Biard international airport, from the airfield created by the Aéro-Club du Poitou (ACP) to the renowned Concorde landing on its runway in 1997.

The book also provides information about the other flying clubs and airfields in the Vienne region, effectively tracing history through air shows and other events, with coverage of civil and military air transportation, equipment and passengers. An impressive technological, economic and human story, that of a department that was highly involved in building the aviation heritage of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

Book. “Histoire de l’aviation à Poitiers et dans la Vienne au XXe siècle.” Authors, Gérard Simmat, Georges Pagé. Éditions Atemporelle. ISBN: 2951876181