Riout 102T Alérion

The Riout 102T Alérion was a pioneering French glider conceived in the early 1930s by the avant‑garde designer René Riout and built under licence by Breguet Aviation. Although Breguet was best known for its powered aircraft, the company’s collaboration with Riout marked a rare foray into experimental sailplane construction. The Alérion featured a cantilevered, high‑aspect‑ratio wing of 20 m span, a slender wooden fuselage, and a revolutionary wing‑tip vortex‑control device that aimed to reduce induced drag. Its all‑wood structure employed stressed‑skin techniques unusual for gliders of the period, and the aircraft incorporated a controllable trailing‑edge flap system that allowed pilots to vary the lift‑to‑drag ratio in flight. First flown in 1935, the Alérion demonstrated exceptional glide performance, achieving a best glide ratio of 28:1, and set several French distance records before World War II halted further development. Though only a few prototypes were completed, the Riout 102T Alérion influenced later high‑performance glider designs and highlighted Breguet’s willingness to explore cutting‑edge aerodynamics beyond conventional military projects. Its legacy endures as a testament to interwar innovation in sailplane technology. Today, aviation museums preserve the Alérion as a symbol of daring engineering.

Breguet Aviation

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