A CENTURY AFTER THE first fixed-wing aircraft crossed the English Channel, it apparently is no big deal. After all, at its narrowest, between Calais and Dover, "the Ditch" is a mere 37 km. Yet, when Louis Bleriot successfully completed his flight on July 25, 1909, it was a remarkable feat. Most aircraft of the time could only fly very short distances. Engines were unreliable and prone to overheating and most could run for only about 20 minutes. Pilots prudently avoided long stretches of water so as to be able to head for a field in an emergency. Bleriot's flight was the first across a large body of water in a heavier-than-air craft, and won him a 1,000 prize-a handsome sum in those days.