Blériot

Blériot Aéronautique (1909-1937) was a French aircraft manufacturer founded by Louis Blériot (1872-1936). Blériot was an engineer who had developed the first practical headlamp for cars and established a successful business marketing them before.
In 1913 Blériot acquired the assets of the Deperdussin company, following the arrest on fraud charges of its founder Armand Deperdussin. The name of the company was changed from "Société de Production des Aéroplanes Deperdussin" to "Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés" (SPAD). This company became extremely successful during World War I with mass production in French factories and worldwide exports. Production licenses were sold in several countries, including a larger British factory that was established near Brooklands at Addlestone, Surrey, by 1917, and a production line at the Curtiss Elmwood plant (Buffalo, NY) in August 1917.
During the First World War Blériot Aéronautique was largely concerned with manufacturing aircraft designed by others. The only aircraft produced under the Blériot name was a series of prototype multi-engined heavy bombers, none of which entered service. During the difficult times for the aircraft industry after the First World War the company also made a few motorcycles between 1921 and 1922 and cyclecars in the 1920s. In 1922 Blériot Aéronautique, which had been a private company, became a limited-liability company, Blériot Aéronautique S.A.

---

Blériot XI

The Blériot XI is an aircraft largely designed by Raymond Saulnier. The first example was used by Louis Blériot to make the first flight across the English Channel in a heavier-than-air aircraft, on 25 July 1909.

Blériot XI, registration PH-BLE, built ????, serial number NVAV-78 (replica)
Ede, Netherlands, 23 August 2019
(crossed the English Channel on May 20, 2010, together with LX-TEC, a similar Blériot XI)

---