Editing Meudon (section)

===Pioneering aviation===
[[Chalais-Meudon]] was important in the pioneering of aviation, initially [[balloon (aircraft)|balloon]]s and [[airship]]s, but also the early heavier-than-air machines.  A ''Corps d'Aérostatiers'' under the command of [[Jean-Marie-Joseph Coutelle]] was established in 1794, its balloons being used at the [[Battle of Fleurus (1794)|Battle of Fleurus]]. 'Hangar Y' (at {{coord |48.7977|N|2.233|E}}) was built in 1880 at the request of the military engineer Captain [[Charles Renard]] (1847–1905), for the construction of balloons and airships. The building is {{convert|70|m|ft|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|24|m|ft|abbr=on}} wide and around {{convert|26|m|ft|abbr=on}} high. The airship ''[[La France (airship)|La France]]'', designed by Renard and [[Arthur Krebs]], was built in Hangar Y in 1884 and was the first airship which was controllable during flight and which could return to its starting point.<ref>[http://www.carnetdevol.org/aerostation/aviation.htm Ville de Meudon, Aviation, Archdeacon and Wright No 3] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301135051/http://www.carnetdevol.org/aerostation/aviation.htm |date=1 March 2009 }}</ref>
[[File:The 1884 Krebs & Renard first fully controllable free-flights with the LA FRANCE dirigible near Paris (Krebs arch.).jpg|thumb|The 1884 Krebs & Renard first fully controllable free-flights with the LA FRANCE electric dirigible in Meudon near Paris (Krebs arch.)]]