Octave Chanute (Chanute Octave)

(1832-1910)
Born February 18, 1832 in Paris. When Octave was 6 years old, his father was vice-rector of the place Jefferson College in Louisiana and moved with his family in the U.S.. In 1863 Octave became chief engineer of the railway Chicago - Alton. In 1867, he participated in the project tender cattle pens at the Chicago slaughterhouses. Job Chanute was recognized as the best. In July 1869, under his leadership has been built the first bridge across the Missouri in Kansas City. Chanute In 1870-1883 he worked as chief engineer of the railway Chicago - New York. Examine the needs of New York in high-speed transport, recommended to construct a 4 overground rail road, which was subsequently done. In 1883, Chanute resigned from the management of railways and opened his own office and technical advice in Kansas City, in 1889 moved to Chicago. Fascinated by the works of O. Lilienthal and other European balloonist, Chanute at the age of 60 years spent his first experiments with complex airframe structures on sand dunes in northern Indiana, and then built and tested a glider, a biplane. Chanute himself no longer able to fly, and the flight of his assistants, Herring and Avery; together they made about 1000 flights in gliders of different construction. During these flights Chanute investigated the stability of aircraft, has experienced a number of engines of its own design. The data were useful in creating the Wright brothers first aircraft. In 1891-1894 in the 'American Railway Engineering magazine' ( 'The American Engineering and Railroad Journal') Chanute published a series of articles under the rubric of 'development of aircraft'; later articles were combined into a separate book, . which is still considered one of the most authoritative sources on the history of American aeronautics,
. Chanute was active correspondence with the aeronautical world, including the Wright brothers. Wilbur Wright persuaded to write a report on the results of experimental flights in June 1901 in Kitty Hawk, but after the successful flight of an airplane engine in 1903 contributed to the financial support of the Wright brothers. Chanute died in Chicago on Nov. 23, 1910.