In the Blériot VIII, he reduced the size of the rear wing yet again, to the point where it was no longer contributing much in the way of lift, but had become the horizontal stabiliser.

[2] Blériot found that the new aircraft flew very well, and for the first time he had sufficient control to fly in circles.

During the course of 1908, he modified it a number of times, calling the first major revision the VIII-bis and the next the VIII-ter.

With this aircraft on June 29, Blériot claimed the second of three prizes being offered by the Automobile Club de France for a flight with an altitude of 200 m (660 ft).

Longer and longer flights followed: on October 21, he made one of 7 km (4.3 mi), and ten days later flew 14 km (8.7 mi) cross-country from Toury to Artenay and flew back again.