Pilot flies under Paris landmark

On August 7, 1919, Charles Godefroy, a former military aviation instructor, flew a Nieuport biplane under the arch of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. This daring flight was a protest against an order that required pilots to march on foot during the July 14, 1919 parade, where they had been presented as infantrymen without their aircraft.

Flight required precise calculation

The opening of the Arc de Triomphe measures 14.6 meters between the pillars, and the wingspan of the biplane is 8.2 meters. The maneuver required precise calculation, with a margin of 3.2 meters on each side of the wingspan to ensure the plane would not collide with the structure.

Godefroy replaced fallen pilot

Godefroy, who had 500 hours of flying experience and was credited with six aerial victories, took the place of Jean Navarre, an ace pilot who had died in training earlier that year. Godefroy practiced the maneuver under a bridge and trained on the bridge of the Petit Rhône in Miramas to prepare for the flight.

Flight details and conditions

He took off at 7:20 from Villacoublay airfield, despite slight fog, aboard a Nieuport nicknamed "Bébé." He circled the Arc twice before launching and flew over the Porte Maillot and the Avenue de la Grande Armée before approaching the Arc. The flight, which was filmed and had a worldwide impact, proceeded without incident.

Public reaction and aftermath

The Parisian press covered the event extensively, with some outlets calling it an "insane act" and others a "useless feat." Godefroy was not sanctioned for the flight, and a commemorative plaque was later displayed in his hometown, La Flèche. Details of the flight, such as the specific model of the Nieuport and the exact speed, vary between sources, but the date, takeoff time, and the two key dimensions remain consistent.