▁ 1 1 ▁February ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁January ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁pil oted ▁by ▁Jean ▁M erm oz ▁and ▁accompanied ▁by ▁Cou z inet ▁himself , ▁he ▁crossed ▁the ▁South ▁Atlantic ▁from ▁Saint - Louis , ▁Sen eg al , ▁to ▁Natal , ▁Brazil , ▁in ▁less ▁than ▁twelve ▁hours . ▁Their ▁triumph ant ▁return ▁to ▁Le ▁Bour get ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁was ▁gre et ed ▁by ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁people , ▁and ▁the ▁aircraft ▁was ▁then ▁operated ▁by ▁Air ▁France ▁until ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁ ▁All ▁the ▁aircraft ▁retained ▁the ▁same ▁three - eng ined ▁layout ▁but ▁were ▁never ▁fully ▁accepted ▁by ▁the ▁officials ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁aer onaut ics ▁industry . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁separated ▁from ▁AN F ▁Les ▁M ure aux , ▁Cou z inet ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁ver ge ▁of ▁bank rupt cy ▁so ▁the ▁research ▁ag ency ▁was ▁integrated ▁with ▁the ▁B reg uet ▁A viation ▁( So ci été ▁an onyme ▁des ▁at el iers ▁d ’ av iation ▁Louis ▁B reg uet ) ▁in ▁Villa cou bl ay . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁he ▁released ▁photograph s ▁of ▁a ▁model ▁for ▁his ▁flying ▁sau cer , ▁the ▁Cou z inet ▁RC - 3 6 0 . ▁A ▁vertical ▁take off ▁aircraft ▁( V TO L ) ▁that ▁used ▁two ▁contra - rot ating ▁disc s