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The father of flight

Alberto Santos-Dumont (1873-1932) was born in Brazil and educated in Paris. He made his first balloon ascent in 1898 and soon after that began constructing dirigible airships. In 1901 he won a Paris air race and international fame. (After the race, he asked Louis Cartier for a timepiece that would keep his hands free-the first wristwatch). Turning to heavier-than-air machines, Santos-Dumont built his 14-Bis in 1906. His flight was the first in Europe, and his plane was the first anywhere to lift off the ground under its own power. In 1909 Santos- Dumont designed the Demoiselle monoplane, the forerunner of modern light planes. In 1910 Santos-Dumont fell ill and despondent over the use of aircraft in warfare, he committed suicide in 1932.

Adapted from “Leaders of the Century”, in Time Special Issue- “Latin

American Leaders for the New Millennium”, May 24, 1999.

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