France's academic world was not a monolith either. Quite a few scholars were willing to accept co-option and climb the ladder. In their accounts, independent research and development became an exceedingly foolish approach, while purchasing from other nations and reverse-engineering their work was the wise course.
The combined effect of many parties had slowed the technological progress of French airships. In truth, France had been the first nation to research and apply flying machines, yet by this point Britain and Austria had already pulled far ahead.
Franz was not particularly concerned by Britain's breakthroughs in airship technology. After all, he knew that airplanes were the future.
In fact, thanks to Franz's intervention, glider development in the Austrian Empire was advancing at a tremendous pace. They had even mastered aileron control for turning, as well as simple climbs and dives.
Strictly speaking, however, the Austrian Empire's airplanes at this point could not be considered true airplanes. Calling them gliders would be more appropriate, since they lacked propulsion systems.
More than once, people in the Austrian Empire had wanted to install a steam engine on these gliders, but each time they had to abandon the idea because of the excessive weight.
Once gas engines appeared, Austrian scientists and fanatical flying enthusiasts immediately strapped them onto airplanes.
The result, however, was that insufficient power caused even more casualties.
The development of aviation technology in the Austrian Empire could not be separated from the guidance of Franz, the transmigrator, nor from the Austrian government's vigorous support and the fanatical sacrifices of aviation enthusiasts.
Every year, at least twenty people died in various flight accidents and experiments at Austrian flying clubs. If the injured and crippled were included, even two hundred would likely not cover the total.
And that was after Franz had personally intervened