Jacques P. Schneider (July 25, 1879 – May 1, 1928) was a French financial expert, balloon pilot, and airplane lover who created the Schneider Trophy.
Life
Jacques P. Schneider was born near Paris on July 25, 1879. His father was Paul Henry Schneider (1841–1916), and his grandfather was Adolphe Schneider (1802–1845), who founded Société Schneider et Cie. Jacques studied engineering at École des Mines.
He married Françoise Bourlon de Rouvre (1885–1931), the daughter of Charles Bourlon de Rouvre. They had two daughters: Monique (1908–1995), who married her cousin Étienne de Ganay (1899–1990), and Louise-Charlotte (July 14, 1912 – May 29, 2012), who co-founded the Maison d'Ananie. Étienne and Monique de Ganay participated in the expedition of La Korrigane from 1934 to 1936.
Jacques Schneider enjoyed adventure and took part in racing hydroplane boats, ballooning, and flying early airplanes. He became a balloon pilot with the Aéro-Club de France in 1908 and set a high altitude record of 10,081 meters (33,074 feet). His interest in powered flight began when he saw Wilbur Wright demonstrate a flight in Le Mans in August 1908. In 1911, he received airplane pilot certificate number 409. At that time, airplanes were made of wood and canvas and often broke easily. After a serious accident forced him to stop flying, he supported many flight contests financially.
Jacques Schneider was honored as a Knight of the Legion of Honor. He became very poor and died on May 1, 1928, in Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera.
Schneider Trophy
Schneider believed seaplanes had a bright future because much of Earth is covered by water, which could be used for takeoff by large, heavy planes without needing runways. On December 5, 1912, at the Aéro-Club de France, he suggested an annual competition for seaplanes called the "Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider" (Schneider Trophy) to help improve civil aviation technology. Competitors had to fly at least 150 miles (240 km). The winner received 25,000 gold francs and a cup valued at the same amount. If a country won the trophy three times within five years, the cup would be awarded to them permanently.
The first Schneider Trophy competition took place in 1913 in the Mediterranean near Monaco, and another was held the following year. The competition was paused during World War I and restarted in 1919. Nine additional races were held until the competition was permanently stopped in 1931. The races did not help develop practical, long-range airplanes for commercial use. Instead, they became a source of national competition, with planes designed only to win the trophy and not useful for other purposes. However, the races contributed to advancements in military aircraft and liquid-cooled engines.