Traian Vuia was a Romanian inventor and aviation pioneer who designed, built and flew an early aircraft. On his first attempt he flew about 12 m (40 feet) at Montesson, France on March 18, 1906. It was the first take off and landing on a level surface by an engine driven monoplane with a completely wheeled undercarriage. Vuia chose a site in Montesson, near Paris, for testing. At first he used the machine without the wings mounted so he could gather experience controlling it on the ground. The wings were put on in March and on March 18, 1906, it lifted off briefly. | Rob Vogelaar