Alberto Santos-Dumont (1873–1932)

While the Wrights get credit for the first heavier-than-air flight, Alberto Santos-Dumont was the first person to pilot a controllable aircraft. Santos-Dumont here chronicles his first ten airships, and it’s interesting the see the evolution; the first one was basically an elongated balloon with a motor on a basket hanging well below the gas bag, while later efforts incorporated a keel. Santos-Dumont hadn’t figured out the elevator as a control surface; thus his airships changed pitch by shifting weights to point the nose up or down. He also used a dragline for altitude control; if the airship rose (due to warming gas, for example) more of the dragline had to be lifted. This worked well over water but obviously posed problems over land. In one case Santos-Dumont became entangled in a tree adjoining the estate of the Comtesse d’Eu. The Comtesse, ever the gracious hostess, sent Santos-Dumont a picnic lunch while he was up there getting unstuck. One of Santos-Dumont’s projects was a one-person craft he called his “runabout”; in this he was able to perform such popular feats as landing at a café, having a drink, and taking off again. Santos-Dumont was also responsible for the solo flight of “…a very beautiful young lady well known in New York society…” on June 29,1903. Unfortunately, her family was outraged and made Santos-Dumont promise not to reveal her name; years later she was revealed as Aida de Acosta, who thus was the first woman to make a solo flight in a powered aircraft.

Santos-Dumont was described as egocentric but charming, and that’s how he comes across in this book. There are numerous photographs and drawings of airships. Enjoyable and an easy read.… (meer)