Paul Cornu (June 15 1881 – 6 June 1944) was a French engineer who manufactured bicycles by trade. French engineer Paul Cornu designed the world's first manned rotary wing aircraft and made the first piloted free flight with it at Lisieux Calvados France on November 13 1907. This first flight lifted Cornu about 30 cm (1 ft) and lasted 20 seconds. This is sometimes recognized as the first free (but impractical) helicopter flight with a passenger.
