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Alberto Santos Dumont: The Daredevil Pilot Who Raced Around the Eiffel Tower

Brennan Blair

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Published in A Dream Of Flight: Alberto Santos Dumont S Race Around The Eiffel Tower

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On October 19, 1901, a daring young Brazilian aviator named Alberto Santos Dumont made history by flying his airship around the Eiffel Tower. The feat won him a prize of 100,000 francs and earned him international fame. But it was just one of many accomplishments in a life that was dedicated to aviation.

A Dream of Flight: Alberto Santos-Dumont's Race Around the Eiffel Tower

by Francisco Martin-Rayo

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	46462 KB
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	40 pages

Santos Dumont was born in Palmira, Brazil, in 1873. He was the son of a wealthy coffee plantation owner, and he grew up with a passion for mechanics and engineering. As a young man, he traveled to Paris to study engineering, and it was there that he became interested in aviation.

In 1898, Santos Dumont built his first airship, which he called the Santos-Dumont No. 1. The airship was powered by a gasoline engine, and it was capable of flying for several hours at a time. Santos Dumont made a number of successful flights with the No. 1, and he soon became known as one of the leading pioneers of aviation.

In 1901, Santos Dumont entered the Deutsch de la Meurthe Prize competition, which offered a prize of 100,000 francs to the first person who could fly around the Eiffel Tower in less than 30 minutes. Santos Dumont designed a new airship for the competition, which he called the Santos-Dumont No. 6. The No. 6 was a sleek, cigar-shaped airship that was powered by a more powerful engine than the No. 1. It was also equipped with a number of innovative features, including a retractable landing gear and a system for controlling the airship's altitude.

On the day of the competition, Santos Dumont took off from the Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. He flew the No. 6 around the Eiffel Tower in just 29 minutes and 30 seconds, winning the prize. The flight was a major breakthrough in aviation, and it helped to spark the development of the industry.

Santos Dumont continued to design and fly airships for the rest of his life. He made a number of other notable flights, including a flight from Paris to Monaco in 1906. He also designed and built a number of airplanes, and he is credited with being one of the first people to fly a successful powered airplane.

Santos Dumont died in 1932, but his legacy lives on. He is considered to be one of the most important pioneers of aviation, and his work helped to pave the way for the development of modern air travel.

Alberto Santos Dumont's Accomplishments

Designed and flew the first successful dirigible
Won the Deutsch de la Meurthe Prize for flying around the Eiffel Tower in less than 30 minutes
Made a number of other notable flights, including a flight from Paris to Monaco
Designed and built a number of airplanes, including one of the first successful powered airplanes
Founded the Aero Club of France
Received the Legion of Honour

Legacy

Alberto Santos Dumont is considered to be one of the most important pioneers of aviation. His work helped to pave the way for the development of modern air travel. He is remembered as a brilliant engineer, a daring pilot, and a visionary who believed in the future of flight.