page_title: François Denhaut
section_title: Life
hierarchical_section_title: François Denhaut / Life
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Panneau de jumelage à Bellegarde-en-Marche, Creuse, France.
context_page_description: François Denhaut was a French aviator notable for designing, constructing and flying the first flying boat in 1912.
context_section_description: He was born on 4 October 1877 at Champagnat, Creuse and after some success as a racing cyclist became interested in aviation. In 1908 he constructed his first aircraft, a canard biplane powered by a 15 hp (11 kW) Anzani. engine constructed with the help of a mechanic called Bouyer a M. Mercier. It was briefly flown in August 1909, with Bouyer at the controls,  
  In 1911 he gained his pilot's license and became the chief pilot of Pierre Levasseur's flying school.
  He died at Bellegarde-en-Marche in 1952.  An Air Memorial is dedicated to him in Bellegarde, at the Maison Chevanne, a 17th Century house that is also the village's tourism office and library.
caption: Bellegarde-en-Marche entry panels, with notification of the Air Memorial presenting Denhaut's life and achievements
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