This year is the centenary of aviation. But, after all, who invented the aircraft? To the Brazilians it was Santos Dumont. To the Americans, it was the Wright brothers. The dispute, that has been going on for 100 years - and which will never lead anywhere - is going to start changing on Saturday, 30, when Brazilians and Americans will join forces in Dayton, Ohio (USA), at the Flight Fest.
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Delighted to see Santos Dumont recognised written by C G Rodliffe NEW zealand,
September 25, 2006
.Far away in the Antipodes Ric almost unheard of.hard Pearse amazing exploits flying
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... written by djfdjfdjf,
September 25, 2006
Is it necessary for us to view achievements in sports, technology and the arts in nationalistic terms? As an American who loves Brazil, I am concerned that Lula and other misinformed Brazilians embarrass the country when discussing the contribution of Santos Dumont to air travel. I found this response to a radio caller from a representative of the Air and Space Museum clarifying:
Caller: I am from Brazil and my wife is a buckeye from just outside of Dayton (Ohio) so we must settle my question (laughter). The French-Brazilian, Santos Dumont. The French and the Brazilians and several other countries claim that he has the title of “the father of aviationâ€. My question is . . what is the claim that the French have and why do they claim that and the Brazilians and what is the claim that you guys have that the Wright brothers would be the first ones to fly. I would just try to understand why since as a child we learn that in Brazil and in France that Santos Dumont is the father of aviation. Thank-you.
Air and Space Museum Representative: Santos Dumont was a very important figure in aviation in both heavier than air aviation and in lighter than air aviation. He was Brazilian and he went to France as a young man and was very interested in aeronautics. He made some very famous flights with air ships. He made the first flight around the Eiffel tower in 1901 where he won a very large financial prize so he was a well known aviation figure when the Wright Brothers were experimenting. He went on to heavier than air airplanes and made the first publicly demonstrated flight in Europe. . . . Well, it was the first publicly demonstrated flight in the world took place in Europe in 1906. It was a flight of a little over 700 feet just a straight line top. The reason at the time he was considered the first was that the Wright Brothers did not publicly fly until 1908. They refined their 1903 airplane, 1904, 1905 with two more airplanes which I mentioned a moment ago but in 1905 when they had perfected their design they stopped flying entirely. They set about to secure their patent which was finally granted in 1906 and looking for customers to sell their airplane to. And in this interim period other experimenters in Europe and elsewhere were experimenting and starting to make flights. In 1908, January of 1908, the first one kilometer circular flight was made in France by a pilot named Henri Farn . . . won a 50,000 franc prize. So these flights were gaining a lot of popularity but the Wrights were not flying publicly yet but when they first do in August of 1908, they clearly demonstrate that they were ahead of everyone else. They were flying for an hour at a time making circles and just instantly their claims to having invented the airplane were confirmed. They became instantly world famous with these flights. So what you have today in this debate about Santos Dumont and the Wright Brothers really stems from this earlier period where it appears that Santos Dumont had flown first. Their were rumors about what the Wright Brothers had done and witnesses saying they saw things but they never made any public flights. Once they had done so it was clear what they had done. Santos Dumont’s contribution was certainly important and should not be denied.
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... written by a guest,
September 27, 2006
I never found a reason why people claim patriotic achievements. I mean who wants to be part of an amorphous mass?
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... written by alalaomaisquecaloroooor,
September 29, 2006
Very pleased to note recognition of Santos Dumont is taking place. The unknown New Zealander wrote aviation success could not be atributed to any one person.
The "14-Bis versus Wright Flyer" debate is a little more complicated... written by Bernardo,
October 24, 2006
The controversy over whether the Wright Flyer or the 14-Bis deserves to be called "the first practical airplane" is fairly complicated, involving both technical issues (could the Flyer take off unassisted? It did so in 190 and historical issues (how certain can we be of the Wrights' 1903 flight? It doesn't matter, since we can be certain of a 1905 flight that still preceded anyone else's). But most of all, it's a matter of how you define "practical" (the 14-Bis needed a large flat space in order to take off, the Flyer needed a launch rail - Which is more, or less, practical?). For an overview of all these issues, I recommend you check out http://www.airshowfan.com/first-airplane.htm
They both worked hard...but it wasn't their idea . Men has been tring to fly before Leonardo da vinci or Icaro...Americans say wright bros Brazilians say Santos Dumont. By efinition of flight of today it would be dumont but...ideas have to be perfected to get the finish product. Wright bros worked a lot for that. Both deserve our respect
This year is the centenary of aviation. But, after all, who invented the aircraft? To the Brazilians it was Santos Dumont. To the Americans, it was the Wright brothers. The dispute, that has been going on for 100 years - and which will never lead anywhere - is going to start changing on Saturday, 30, when Brazilians and Americans will join forces in Dayton, Ohio (USA), at the Flight Fest. 
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and historical issues (how certain can we be of the Wrights' 1903 flight? It doesn't matter, since we can be certain of a 1905 flight that still preceded anyone else's). But most of all, it's a matter of how you define "practical" (the 14-Bis needed a large flat space in order to take off, the Flyer needed a launch rail - Which is more, or less, practical?). For an overview of all these issues, I recommend you check out 
