Gabriel Voisin | |
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| Born | 5 February 1880 Belleville-sur-Saône, France |
| Died | 25 December 1973 (aged 93) Ozenay, Saône-et-Loire, France |
Gabriel Voisin (5 February 1880 – 25 December 1973) was a French aviation pioneer and the creator of Europe's first manned, engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft capable of a sustained (1 km), circular, controlled flight, which was made by Henry Farman on 13 January 1908 near Paris, France. During World War I, the company founded by Voisin became a major producer of military aircraft, notably the Voisin III. Subsequently, he switched to the design and production of luxury automobiles under the name Avions Voisin.[1]