1883-1950 |
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Collection of Reg Winstone, 5-8-04 |
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Contributed by Luc Wittemans, 3-24-10 More information (in Dutch) about Emile Allard can be found here: This is my translation of this text (my additions in italics): Emile Allard (Crespin, 24 July 1883 - Brussels, 5 November 1950) was a Belgian engineer and aviation pioneer. He is known for his efforts in establishing and developing the Institute for Aerodynamic research at Sint-Genesius-Rode near Brussels (currently known as the Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics) (see this link: and his efforts for the developement of aviation in Belgium. It is also assumed that he was the first Belgian to fly. (This must be a mistake as it is generally assumed that this was the Baron Pierre de Caters). Emile Allard started his carreer as in engineer with the Cockerill iron and steel works. He resigned in 1909 to go to France where he learned to fly with Voisin. He returned to Belgium where he obtained pilot licence number 4 from the Aéro Club de Belgique on 31 March 1910. In September, together with Léon de Brouckère, he built one of the first Belgian aircraft. He subsequently moved to Belgian Congo where he worked at Leopoldville (currently named Kinshasa). He returned to Belgium where he worked and lived at Liège. He joined the Belgian Army in 1916. He returned to Liège after the First World War but he was charged by CENAC and SNETA to study the opportunities for commercial aviation in Belgian Congo. In 1923 he led the team studying the possibilities for an aerial connection between Belgium and Belgian Congo. He became a professor at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Free University of Brussels) where, over the years, he trained many aeronautical engineers. In 1920 he became director of the technical department of the civil aviation administration. He also became the project leader for the establishment of the new Institute for Aerodynamic Research at Sint-Genesius-Rode. The institute provided support for many Belgian aircraft constructors such as Alfred Renard and aviation pioneers like Nicolas Florine. Following the Second World War, he was involved with the modernization of the institute. I hope this is of some use to you, best regards, Luc Wittemans Sint-Truiden, Belgium |
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If you have any more information on any of these pioneer aviators, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper |
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