Jacques Schneider

Jacques Schneider ( * 1879, † 1928) was a French industrialist, balloonist and Flugzeugenthusiast, which was especially known for the Schneider Trophy donated by him.

Schneider was the son of an arms manufacturer. For a long time he held the altitude record in ballooning with 10,081 m. He was enthusiastic about the powered flight, after he had met in August 1908 Wilbur Wright in a demonstration flight of the Wright brothers at Le Mans.

When he had to give up flying because of a serious accident, he became the constant supporter of several competitions. On December 5, 1912, he struck in Aéroclub de France the " Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider " (Schneider Trophy ) before a competition for seaplanes, which should serve to support the technical development of civil aviation. The aircraft should fly at least 150 miles, the prize was 25,000 gold francs, still a trophy was awarded to the same value. The country that won three competitions within five years for himself, should keep the trophy.

The competition was in the years 1913 to 1931 - in which England won the award for the third time - organized.

• Pilot
• Balloonist
• Industrialist
• Frenchman
• Born in 1879
• Died in 1928
• Man