Aéro-Club de France

"SPECIAL PRIZE: Possibly one hundred thousand francs. If before January 1*er* 1918, an aviator, piloting an aircraft with two occupied seats, establishes the following record, ratified by the Aéro-Club de France: Take off from anywhere in the departments of the Seine or Seine-et-Oise, circle around the Arc de Triomphe, go circle around the cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand and come to land on the summit of the Puy de Dôme (altitude one thousand four hundred fifty-six meters), within a period of less than six hours, counted from the Arc de Triomphe to the summit of the Puy de Dôme, a sum of one hundred thousand francs in cash will be paid. From this record, the annual Cup, instead of being won in individual trials, must be won in a race whose conditions will be set each year at least ten months in advance by the Aéro-Club de France. Please accept, Mr. President, the expression of our devoted sentiments. Signed: MICHELIN & Cie"

"The winner of the Cup for the year will be the aviator who, before December 31 at midnight, has covered the greatest distance, either in France or in one of the countries whose aero club is federated with the Aéro-Club de France. This record, to be valid, must be ratified by the International Federation. This distance must be at least twice that covered by the holder of the previous year. The winner of the 1908 cup must have traveled a distance twice that covered by Mr. Henry Farman in his record of January 13, 1908. Each year, the Cup will be entrusted to the aero club in the country where the record has been established and ratified as mentioned above. The prize of fifteen thousand francs in cash will be awarded to the victorious pilot. If the cup is not won in a year, the holding aero club will remain its custodian and the fifteen thousand francs will be added to the fifteen thousand francs of the following year. The winner of the tenth year will remain the owner of the art object: a facsimile will be given to the aero club of the country where the record was established. The trials will be conducted in France, under the control of the Aéro-Club de France, abroad, under the control of the aero club of the country, provided that this aero club is federated with the Aéro-Club de France and subject to the ratification mentioned above."