Louis Charles Joseph Bleriot (1 July 1872 - 1 August 1936) was a French aviator, inventor and engineer. He developed the first practical headlamp for trucks and established a profitable business manufacturing them, using much of the money he made to finance his attempts to build a successful aircraft. On the 25 July 1909 he became world-famous for making the first flight across the English Channel in a heavier than air aircraft, winning the prize of £1,000 offered by the Daily Mail newspaper. The flight had taken 36 minutes and 30 seconds.

Blériot was also the first to make a working, powered, piloted monoplane. He was also the founder of a successful aircraft manufacturing company.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org