[1] According to late 1907 claims made by Clément Ader,[2] on October 9th, 1890, the machine achieved a short flight of around 50 m (164 ft) at the Chateau d'Armainvilliers in Brie.

The poor power-to-weight ratio of the steam engine and bad weather were felt to limit the flying height achieved.

Some consider the Éole to have been the first true aeroplane, given that it left the ground under its own power and carried a person through the air for a short distance, and that the event of 8 October 1890 was the first successful flight.

However, the lack of directional control, and the fact that steam-powered aircraft proved to be a dead end, both weigh against these claims.

A full-size replica built in 1990 at the École Centrale Paris crashed on its first flight, injuring its pilot and leading to the termination of the experiment.