The Ninth Louis Blériot Lecture was given in Paris on 7th March 1956 under the auspices of the Association Française des Ingénieurs et Techniciens de l'Aéronautiques, by Mr. E. T. Jones, C.B., O.B.E., M.Eng., F.R.Ae.S., Director-General Technical Development (Air), Ministry of Supply, and President-Elect of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

The Lecture was attended by the President, Mr. N. E. Rowe, C.B.E., B.Sc., F.C.G.I., F.I.A.S., F.R.Ae.S., and several members of Council of the Royal Aeronautical Society, by the Secretary, Dr. A. M. Ballantyne, T.D., B.Sc., Hon.F.C.A.I., A.F.I.A.S., A.F.R.Ae.S.; by three former British Blériot Lecturers, Air Commodore F. R. Banks, C.B., O.B.E., F.R.Ae.S., Mr. H. Knowler, F.R.Ae.S., and Mr. R. Hafner, F.R.Ae.S.; and by members of the Society and the British Aircraft Industry and by a large and distinguished French audience. M. Jules Jarry, President of A.F.I.T.A., presided at the meeting and welcomed the guests before introducing Mr. Rowe and later, Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones spoke for a few minutes in French and then his paper was read by M. Maurice Roy, Director of O.N.E.R.A., and himself a Blériot Lecturer. After the lecture a film was shown of the Rolls-Royce “ Flying Bedstead.”

The Lecture was followed by a Reception and cocktail party and then by a dinner attended by 150 distinguished members and guests at the Aero Club de France. Among the guests were Madame Louis Blériot and M. Henry Laforest, French Secretary of State for Air. Following the dinner, speeches were made by M. Jarry and M. Laforest, and by Air Commodore Banks, deputising for Mr. Rowe who had had to return to England, and by Mr. E. T. Jones.