The Wright brothers are claimed to be the inventors of the first airplane in the world. Fascinated by an airplane toy and its mechanics, the brothers hoped to build a flying machine large enough to hold both of them one day. On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright flew his airplane, the Wright Flyer, for over 120 feet with the help of his brother, Wilbur Wright, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. There are witnesses for the first flight and a photograph taken by an employee of the U.S. Life-Saving Service to prove the Wright Flyer is the first heavier-than-air machine that has successfully taken flight. While researching, the Wright brothers kept a shallow profile and only made public flight five years later; many people were surprised to learn about their achievements.
While the Wright brothers are commonly thought of as the first to fly an airplane, some people believe that Alberto Santos-Dumont, a Brazilian aeronaut, is the true inventor of the first airplane.
According to https://www.history.com/, Alberto Santos-Dumont is believed to have invested much money from his family’s coffee-planting business to experiment with hot-aired balloons and dirigibles. After winning in 1901 for flying around the Eiffel Tower, Alberto’s focus switched to heavier-than-air flights. On October 23, 1906, he passed his 14-bis biplane with the witness of a prominent Parisian crowd. Not long after, the Brazilian set the first world record, recognized by the Federation Aeronautic International by flying up to 726 feet (221.2848 meters).
“If we understand what the criteria were at the end of the 19th century, the Wright Brothers simply do not fill any of the prerequisites,” said Henrique Lins de Barros, a Brazilian physicist who has written two books on Santos-Dumont. In 2003, Henrique claimed that the Wright brothers didn’t meet all the standards at the time, like taking off unassisted, publicly flying a predetermined length, and landing safely in front of experts.
Who deserves the honor of being the inventor of the first airplane in the world?
RELATED STORIES:
https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/1903-wright-flyer/nasm_A19610048000
https://www.history.com/news/history-faceoff-who-was-first-in-flight
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_brothers
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