Daily demonstrations at 11am, free with admission!

Leyat Trainer (replica)-1907

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Marcel Leyat was always interested in airplanes.  In the early 1900s he built and flew a glider in France.  After success with his glider, Leyat began to build airplanes with limited success.  One of the problems with early flight was how to train pilots, as early airplanes did not have enough power to carry two people.  Leyat, always the inventor, came up with this ingenious trainer.  Basically, it is an airplane that is attached to a trolley.  The trolley is then towed by a car, and the trainer reacts like an actual plane, but never leaves the ground.  The 1907 trainer was lost to history at some point, and the only thing that remains of it are three pictures (two of which you see here).  Mirko Hrazdira was able to take these three pictures and build this accurate replica in 2011.  In January 2012 Mirko and his brother Milan came from the Czech Republic to assemble and test the trainer at Lane Motor Museum.