René Simon

René Simon (December 8, 1885 – April 21, 1947) was a French aviator.

Biography

He was born in Paris and earned French license #177 from the Aero Club De France. He toured the United States in 1911–12 with the Moisant International Aviators. He became known for daring tactics and was called the Flying-Fool by the public. The first airplane rescue at sea by another airplane was made when on 14 August 1911 Simon had been flying over Lake Michigan in a monoplane and accidentally dived too low. Pilot Hugh Robinson in a Curtiss hydroplane spotted him and sent boats to his rescue.

In February 1911 the Mexican government engaged Simon to reconnoiter rebel positions near Juarez, Mexico. During World War I he commanded a squadron that taught acrobatic tactics to fighter pilots. Simon was married by the time of World War I and had a commission as a Capitaine(Captain). He and his wife often dined with high-ranking military officials.

René Simon died in Cannes on 21 April 1947.

Sources

• Kane, Joseph Nathan (1997). Famous First Facts, Fifth Edition. The H. W. Wilson Company. ISBN 0-8242-0930-3. The first airplane rescue at sea by another airplane was made by Hugh Robinson on August 14, 1911. Pilot Rene Simon had been flying over Lake Michigan in a monoplane and dived down to wave to some motorboats. Unable to rise, he crashed into the lake. Robinson, in a Curtiss hydroplane, flew over to Simon and found him in his floating plane smoking a cigar. Robinson hailed several people in motorboats, and they towed Simon and his monoplane to the shore.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)