. ▁Jacques ▁Lac ost e , ▁man aging ▁director ▁of ▁engine ▁manufact urer ▁His p ano - Su iza , ▁l ent ▁him ▁three ▁engines ▁without ▁charge , ▁and ▁addition ally ▁he ▁raised ▁a ▁loan ▁of ▁$ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁US ▁D oll ars . ▁The ▁Arc - en - C iel ''' s ▁first ▁flight ▁was ▁on ▁ 7 ▁May ▁ 1 9 2 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁aircraft ▁manufact urer ▁AN F ▁Les ▁M ure aux ▁agreed ▁to ▁take ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁prototype , ▁with ▁Cou z inet ▁consult ing , ▁making ▁observations ▁and ▁studies . ▁The ▁leading ▁French ▁engineer ▁Albert ▁Ca quot ▁was ▁also ▁involved ▁with ▁the ▁project . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁he ▁built ▁the ▁Cou z inet ▁ 2 7 , ▁a ▁four - se ater ▁which ▁crash ed ▁during ▁tri als ▁on ▁August ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 2 8 . ▁The ▁mechan ic ▁Lan et ▁was ▁killed ▁immediately , ▁the ▁pilot ▁Dr ou in ▁died ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁later , ▁and ▁Manuel ▁Gian oli ▁surv ived . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁a ▁fire ▁destroyed ▁the ▁work sh ops ▁of ▁É mile - Louis ▁Let ord ▁at ▁Me ud on , ▁losses ▁these ▁included ▁a ▁tw in ▁tri - mot or ▁eng ined ▁Cou z inet ▁ 2 0 ▁and ▁a ▁Cou z inet ▁ 2 7 ▁Arc - en - C iel ▁ ▁II . A er ost ories .