Aviation pioneer Louis Blériot was so inspired by the Wright Brothers’ ability to use wing warping to fly an airplane that he modified his one-of-a-kind monoplane and set off to become the first person to cross the English Channel in a heavier-than-air aircraft. His success resulted in an cultural epiphany that aviation wasn’t simply a toy for rich playboys, but could be a valuable tool to shrink the world.
Demand for his design exploded and many aviation pioneers of the day flew variations of his craft. That included Clyde Cessna, the founder of the Cessna Aircraft Corporation, the company that has sold more single-engine aircraft than any other company.
