[al:新概念英语（三）] [ar:MP3 同步字幕版（英音）] [ti:Pioneer Pilots] [by:更多学习内容，请到chazidian.com搜索“新概念”] [00:01.44]Lesson 20 [00:03.16]Pioneer pilots [00:11.50]What was the name of the first plane to fly across the English Channel? [00:18.32]In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of ￡1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel. [00:28.28]Over a year passed before the first attempt was made. [00:32.53]On July 19th, 1909, in the early morning, [00:37.69]Hubert Latham took off from the French coast in his plane the 'Antoinette IV.' [00:43.62]He had travelled only seven miles across the Channel when his engine failed and he was forced to land on the sea. [00:50.95]The 'Antoinette' floated on the water until Latham was picked up by a ship. [00:56.68]Two days later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called 'No.XI'. [01:03.82]Bleriot had been making planes since 1905 and this was his latest model. [01:10.69]A week before, he had completed a successful overland flight during which he covered twenty-six miles. [01:18.31]Latham, however, did not give up easily. [01:21.53]He, too, arrived near Calais on the same day with a new 'Antoinette'. [01:27.30]It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel. [01:31.86]Both planes were going to take off on July 25th,but Latham failed to get up early enough. [01:39.28]After making a short test flight at 4.15 a.m., Bleriot set off half an hour later. [01:46.49]His great flight lasted thirty-seven minutes. [01:50.42]When he landed near Dover, the first person to greet him was a local policeman. [01:56.10]Latham made another attempt a week later and got within half a mile of Dover, [02:01.34]but he was unlucky again. [02:03.83]His engine failed and he landed on the sea for the second time.