Christian Marty

Christian Henri Marty (12 November 1945 – 25 July 2000) was a French pilot who served as the captain of Air France Flight 4590. Prior to the crash, Marty was an athlete in extreme sports.

Christian Marty
Born(1945-11-12)12 November 1945
Paris, France
Died25 July 2000(2000-07-25) (aged 54)
Gonesse, France
Occupation(s)Pilot, athlete
Known forBeing the first person to windsurf across the Atlantic Ocean and as the captain of Air France Flight 4590
Spouse1
Children2

Athletic career

Marty specialized in long-distance windsurfing, as well as rally driving, cycling, skiing, and hang-gliding.[1] In 1980, Marty windsurfed from Nice, France, to Calvi, Corsica, covering a distance of 169 kilometres (105 mi; 91 nmi).[2] In 1981, Marty achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the first person to windsurf across the Atlantic Ocean. Equipped with a specially designed sailboard and accompanied by a supply boat,[3] he embarked on his first attempt on 28 November 1981, starting from Dakar, Senegal. Unfortunately, this attempt proved unsuccessful.[4]

Undeterred, Marty made a second attempt on 12 December 1981. During this journey, an incident occurred when Marty fell off his sailboard in the darkness. However, thanks to the flashlight on his sailboard, Marty was able to locate and swim back to his board, ensuring his safety. He resumed his trip without further incidents.[5] This second attempt proved to be a success, as Marty arrived in Kourou, French Guiana, on 18 January 1982. In total, Marty covered a distance of 4,222 kilometres (2,623 mi; 2,280 nmi),[4][6] during the journey, which took him 37 days, 16 hours, and four minutes to complete.[3]

It is worth mentioning that Marty had previously spent two years living in Guadeloupe,[4] where he also accomplished another notable windsurfing achievement. He windsurfed a distance of 161 kilometres (100 mi; 87 nmi) from Guadeloupe to Martinique in the Caribbean. Marty's passion for extreme sports and his remarkable accomplishments have left a lasting impact in the world of long-distance windsurfing.

Aviation career

Marty's journey in the world of aviation began on 12 July 1967 when he obtained his pilot's license.[7] Two years later, in 1969, he earned his commercial pilot's license and joined the prestigious Air France as a pilot. Throughout his career, Marty served in various roles, including pilot and flight instructor, operating a range of aircraft models. These included the Boeing 727 and 737, as well as the Airbus A300, A320, and A340.[8]

After years of dedication and experience, Marty achieved a significant milestone in his aviation career. On 16 August 1999, he was appointed as a Concorde captain. This prestigious position marked the pinnacle of his journey as a pilot, commanding one of the most iconic and technologically advanced aircraft in history. Marty's extensive experience and expertise allowed him to navigate the skies with skill and confidence, leaving a remarkable legacy in the field of aviation.[7][9]

Death

On 25 July 2000, Marty held the position of captain on Air France Flight 4590, operating the route from Paris to New York City. Accompanied by first officer Jean Marcot and flight engineer Gilles Jardinaud, Marty commenced the take-off roll with the intention of a routine departure. However, an unfortunate incident occurred during the process.

As the aircraft accelerated down the runway, the landing gear encountered a metal strip that had been dropped by another aircraft. This unexpected contact caused damage to the tire and resulted in the fuel tank being punctured, initiating an in-flight fire. The situation quickly escalated, causing the aircraft to lose control.

Tragically, the aircraft crashed into a hotel located in Gonesse, near Charles de Gaulle Airport. The devastating accident claimed the lives of all 109 individuals on board the aircraft, including Marty, as well as four additional individuals on the ground.[10]

Bibliography
  • Marty, Christian (3 October 1984). L'atlantique À Mains Nues [The Atlantic with bare hands] (in French). ISBN 2851083058.

References
  1. "Pilot was one of few to have windsurfed across the Atlantic". The Independent. 18 April 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  2. Sagert, Kelly Boyer (30 December 2008). Encyclopedia of Extreme Sports. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313344732. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  3. McWhirter, Norris (1988). The Guinness book of records. Guinness Superlatives. ISBN 9780851128788. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  4. "Atlantique: La Premiere Traversee!" [Atlantic: The First Cross!]. www.tainosgpe.com (in French). Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  5. "A Tribute to Christian Marty". American Windsurfer. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  6. Taelman, René (2 March 2015). Les 100 plus grands sportifs de tous les temps: De Jesse Owens à Lionel Messi [The 100 greatest sportsmen of all time: From Jesse Owens to Lionel Messi] (in French). Primento. ISBN 9782390090250. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  7. Beaufey, Jean-Pierre (6 November 2017). Concorde Sierra Charlie: Vol AF 4590 - Mardi 25 juillet 2000 [Concorde Sierra Charlie: Flight AF 4590 - Tuesday 25 July 2000] (in French). Nombre7 Editions. ISBN 9782368323113. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  8. Massé, Xavier (2004). Avion Concorde: de l'évocation en 1943 au dernier vol en 2003 [Concorde plane: from the evocation in 1943 to the last flight in 2003] (in French). Nouvelles Editions Latines. ISBN 9782723320450. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  9. "Concorde Disaster: Hero was first Frenchman to windsurf Atlantic". Free Online Library. 28 July 2000. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  10. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Aérospatiale / BAC Concorde 101 F-BTSC Gonesse". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
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