Carlos Tenaud

Carlos Tenaud y Pomar (10 July 1884 – 8 September 1911) was a French-born Peruvian aviator. He was one of the pioneers of global aviation and is considered a hero of civil aviation.

Biography

He was the son of Peruvians Julio Tenaud and María Luisa del Pomar. Born in Paris, he completed his schooling there. After obtaining his baccalaureate, he dedicated himself to studying aviation technology, a new and emerging field at the time.

He moved to Lima, bringing with him a project for an aeroplane he had invented, which he proposed for construction in Peru. President José Pardo y Barreda, a major proponent of technical education, sent him to the School of Arts and Crafts, directed by Pedro Paulet. There, Tenaud built the first Peruvian airplane, a monoplane whose wings resembled those of a butterfly (1909). However, the aircraft failed to fly properly—it briefly lifted off the ground but then fell sideways. The government then sponsored him to travel to France to receive advanced aeronautical training (9 September 1910).

Tenaud enrolled at the Étampes Academy, led by the renowned Louis Blériot. Blériot regarded him as one of his best students, as Tenaud completed his training in only eight lessons without damaging any valuable components. On 23 November 1910, the Aéro-Club de France awarded him Pilot Certificate No. 298. He later conducted further flight training, flying between Étampes and Reims.

Luis Alberto Sánchez believed that Valdelomar, when he suffered his own fatal spinal injury, may have recalled the tragic death of Tenaud.