Jean Mermoz

See also: Mermoz

Jean Mermoz (Aubenton, Aisne the December 9th 1901 - Atlantic Southern - December 7th 1936) is a French pilot, appears legendary of the Aéropostale, called the Archange .

Youth

In April 1920, it signs an engagement in the army for four years; it chooses aviation on the councils of max Delty, a singer of Opérette S.

After a passage to the 7th flotilla of the 11th regiment of bombardment of Metz-Frescaty, it at the time of leaving the greyness of the barracks and to leave in Syria in 1922: it there carries out 600 hours of flight in 18 months and discovers the desert, in particular at the time of an emergency landing. However, it must return to France to the 1st regiment of Hunting to Thionville. Its dislike for the military thing is reinforced. It is demobilized in March 1924.

At this point in time Mermoz knows one of the blackest periods of his existence. Not finding employment near the airline companies, he knows misery and must live odd jobs.

Lastly, it receives on September 28th, 1924 a proposal for a contract in the company the Air lines Latécoère directed by Didier Daurat.

The epopee of the postal aviation

The desert

Mermoz starts as mechanic. But it is quickly affected in the capacity as pilot on the Toulouse-Barcelona line, on Breguet XIV. The line crossing the the Pyrenees is a challenge for the planes of the time.

In 1925, Mermoz ensures the connection Barcelona/Malaga.

In 1926, it deals with the mail on the connection Casablanca/Dakar. In May 1926, lost in the middle of the desert with its mechanic, it is captured by the Moors, then is released against ransom. In November, it saves Ville, constrained to land in the desert.

On October 10th and 11th 1927, Mermoz and Négrin make a success of a non-stop flight from Toulouse to Saint-Louis of Senegal on board a Laté 26. However, following an incident with the landing, without damage for the crew, the crossing of the South Atlantic is deferred.

South America and the Andes cordillera

In 1927, Marcel Bouilloux-Lafont, president and founder of the Air-mail General Company (which takes the continuation of the Air lines Latécoère) sends Mermoz to Rio de Janeiro in order to develop new connections in South America.

For that, it is necessary to cross a major hurdle: the Andes cordillera. During an attempt at crossing, Mermoz must be solved with a landing in mountain, then arrives to redécoller acrobatiquement, while launching his plane in a chasm, thus managing to take speed while pricking. July 15th, 1929, it opens the line of the Andes with Henri Guillaumet.

In 1930, with the radiotelegrapher Léopold Gimié and the navigator Jean Dabry, it carries out the first air connection 100% between France and South America. It establishes several regular lines.

The crossing of the South Atlantic

On May 12th and 13rd 1930, it connects of a feature Saint-Louis (Senegal) to Natal (Brazil) at the end of a 21 hours and 10 minutes flight on a seaplane Laté 28-3 baptized the “Count of Vaulx”, name of the president of the international aeronautical Federation (FAI) which had just disappeared tragically in an air crash.

Less than three years later, left on January 12th, 1933 the aerodrome of Paris-Le Bourget, Mermoz in Buenos Aires the 22 on board Couzinet 70 “Arc in Sky lands”.

Between 1930 and 1936, Mermoz will have carried out 24 crossings of the South Atlantic.

The plane which it flies, the Cross-of-South , disappears at sea on December 7th, 1936 with on its board: Alexandre Pichodou, copilot; Henri Ézan, navigator; Edgar Cruvelhier, radio and Jean Lavidalie, mechanic. With 10:47, its last radio message is " Coupons engine postpones droit" .

The policy

Disappointed by the political lack of will of the governments which follow one another in France, Mermoz tries to save the postal line air France-America of the South threatened by Germany (and the United States) while using of a political speaking pipe. He joined the Christian nationalist movement then " Cross of Feu" by adhering to association " Nationaux" volunteers;. The Crosses of Fire, indeed, gather in their rows only officers war veterans decorated with the face, it with what Mermoz, born in 1901, does not claim obviously. For this period, he imagines and preaches an aviation where French youth will be able to reach statutory values free from political interests in favor. He teaches in particular the bases of aeronautics to young people resulting from modest milieus to the philotechnic Association of Doves, close to Paris. Its idea will be taken up later by the creators of the " aviation populaire". After the dissolution of the leagues by the Popular front, Mermoz will become vice-president of the French Social Party (PSF), rested by François of Rocque, the last chair Crosses of Fire.

The legend

Mermoz is made commander of the Legion of Honor on August 4th, 1934.

Quotations of Mermoz

  • "In fact the failures supported goods give the right of réussir."

  • " The modern life authorizes the voyages, but does not get a aventure."
  • " I would never like descendre."

Work

  • Jean Mermoz, My flights , Flammarion, 1937.
  • Jean Mermoz, letters gathered under the title Clearer of the sky , Archipelago.

Biographies

  • Joseph Kessel, Mermoz , Gallimart Editions, 1938, Folio December 1972 ISBN 2070362329
  • Jean-Paul Olivier, Mermoz, the Spirit of Air-mail the , Selection of Reader' S Digest, 2002 ISBN 2709813157
  • Emmanuel Chadeau, Mermoz , Perrin, 2000 ISBN 2262014205
  • Jean-Michel Charlier and Victor Hubinon, Mermoz , cartoon, Dupuis, 1956, republication with Museum Air France, 2001
  • Jacques Groignec, Jean Mermoz, the Archangel , New Latin Editions, ISBN 2723320332
  • Bernard Marck, It was a Faith Mermoz ISBN 2864771896

See too

External bonds

  • Extracts from the book of Mermoz " My vols"

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