His successful businesses financed the design and manufacture of the Eole powered aircraft that is believed to have flown 20 cm above the ground for 150 metres on 9th October 1890.  This is 13 years before the first successful powered flight of the Wright Brothers!

Clément Ader later refined his designs and produced new prototypes culminating in the twin-engine Avion III.  Unfortunately the aircraft was badly damaged during its first attempted flight.  Clément Ader then started to design a new Avion IV but he ran out of money, gave up aviation and donated the Avion III to the museum. 

This fascinating museum illustrates how much progress has been made by many outstanding scientists and engineers over the last 150 years.  It is striking to note however that most of the successful companies created by these pioneers no longer exist today. 

The tremendous advances in science and technology led to fundamental changes but many of the companies generating these changes seem to have been unable to adapt and grow. 

John Maxwell said: “Change is inevitable.  Growth is optional.”  Adapting to an ever-increasing rate of change is essential but I believe that to survive and thrive a company has no option but to grow.

I help CEOs and Senior Executives of small and medium-sized companies in the engineering and manufacturing sectors to grow their business to the next level. 

If you would like to explore how we could work together, I would be delighted to arrange a conversation. Please send a message to herve@jardon.co.uk and I will come back to you.