By its aerodynamic solutions "Farman-4" significantly influenced the development of the aviation in the world. It was considered as the safest aircraft in the world and was recommended for commercial production and pilots training. As the most popular it was the better of the Wright brothers aircraft as well as all others aircrafts manufactured in Europe at that time. Farman type of aircraft were active built not only in their homeland in France but also in other European countries. Most of these aircraft in chipers were built in France and Russia. ”Farman-4" could be called the triumphal beginning of aviation era in the world. The absolute records in flights’ speed, altitude and distance belonged to Farman type of aircrafts. Aviation development in many countries connected exactly with "Farman - 4".
Latvia is among these countries because it was a part of Tsarskaya Russia at that time. Air workshops were set up in Riga, at the place of current Valmieras street. One such workshop was set up by Lydia Zvereva, the first woman pilote in Tsarskaya Russia. Till World War I about 80 airplanes were produced by Lidiya Zvereva’s workshop, most of them were Farman-type aircrafts. Regular flights and pilots training were made in Latvia with "Farman - 4" aircrafts.
Such well-known Russian pilots as Utochkin, Zander and Nesterov studied to aviate on „Farman -4” aircrafts. The legendary pilot, captain Jezups Bashko, who was a commander of the biggest airplane "Ilya Muromec" at the time of World War I, studied to aviate at „Farman -4” aircraft.
At the beginning of World War I air workshops were evacuated to St. Petersburg. "Farman - 4" for flights were used in Russia up to 1919. There was kept no original aircraft "Farman - 4" in the world until nowdays, but such was anew built in Latvia during past few years in according with the original drawings and technologies of that time. This aircraft is equipped with original engine produced in 1912 "Curtiss-ox" (ražots ASV), which was in working position before the restoration. Probably this is only the one of such engines in the world. Finding all drawings of "Farman - 4" in various archives in Russia took up more than 15 years, but the aircraft building about 3 years.