Aviation Pioneer. Born in Paris France he moved, as a child, to the United States where he became known as a pioneer in the transportation arena. He spent most of his life as an engineer in the railroad industry, but later gained international fame for his contributions to the study of aeronautics. He designed and oversaw the construction of many of the first railroads and railroad bridges in the United States as well as the Union stockyards in both Chicago and Kansas City. He invented a system that preserved railroad ties and telephone poles by pressure treating them with creosote. In 1889 he retired from his engineering business and revived an interest in the new study of aviation. He visited with and conferred with aviation pioneers around the world and in 1894 compiled and organized all the data he had collected and published “Progress in Flying Machines”. This work became recognized as the first written collection on aviation research and became a guidebook for the world’s many would-be aviators. Although too old to fly, he worked with many of the world’s early aviators, helping invent the “Katydid” glider and the “Chanute- Herring Biplane”. He was an active encourager of the work of Orville and Wilbur Wright. He shared advice with the brothers, and visited Kitty Hawk on several occasions during their flight experiments. Wilbur Wright presented the eulogy at the engineer’s funeral. The town of Chanute Kansas is named in his honor as well as the former “Chanute Air Force Base” in Rantoul, Illinois. The decommissioned base is now home to the “Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum” which shares the history of aviation to its many visitors.
Aviation Pioneer. Born in Paris France he moved, as a child, to the United States where he became known as a pioneer in the transportation arena. He spent most of his life as an engineer in the railroad industry, but later gained international fame for his contributions to the study of aeronautics. He designed and oversaw the construction of many of the first railroads and railroad bridges in the United States as well as the Union stockyards in both Chicago and Kansas City. He invented a system that preserved railroad ties and telephone poles by pressure treating them with creosote. In 1889 he retired from his engineering business and revived an interest in the new study of aviation. He visited with and conferred with aviation pioneers around the world and in 1894 compiled and organized all the data he had collected and published “Progress in Flying Machines”. This work became recognized as the first written collection on aviation research and became a guidebook for the world’s many would-be aviators. Although too old to fly, he worked with many of the world’s early aviators, helping invent the “Katydid” glider and the “Chanute- Herring Biplane”. He was an active encourager of the work of Orville and Wilbur Wright. He shared advice with the brothers, and visited Kitty Hawk on several occasions during their flight experiments. Wilbur Wright presented the eulogy at the engineer’s funeral. The town of Chanute Kansas is named in his honor as well as the former “Chanute Air Force Base” in Rantoul, Illinois. The decommissioned base is now home to the “Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum” which shares the history of aviation to its many visitors.
Bio by: Bigwoo
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