Hubert Latham | |
|---|---|
 Latham a few weeks after second Channel attempt. Note the scar on his forehead from the crash injury | |
| Born | 10 January 1883 Paris, France |
| Died | 25 June 1912 (aged 29) near Fort Archambault (now Sarh), Chad |
| Cause of death | Buffalo attack (officially) or murder (alleged by at least one publication) |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Aviator |
| Known for | Pioneering aviator and display pilot |
Arthur Charles Hubert Latham[1] (10 January 1883[1] – 25 June 1912) was a French aviation pioneer. He was the first person to attempt to cross the English Channel in an aeroplane. Due to engine failure during his first of two attempts to cross the Channel, he became the first person to land an aeroplane on a body of water.
In August 1909 at the Grande Semaine d'Aviation de la Champagne he set the world altitude record of 155 metres (509 ft) in his Antoinette IV. In April 1910 he set the official World Airspeed Record of 48.186 miles per hour (77.548 km/h) in his Antoinette VII.