BRAZIL The Brazilian inventor and aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, born on 20 July 1873, was one of the important pioneers of early aviation. From the age of 18 he lived and studied in Paris. In 1901, using a lightweight gasoline engine for power, he flew his hydrogen-filled airship around the Eiffel Tower-the first such flight ever achieved. He made the first official heavier-than-air powered flight in Europe in his canvas-and-bamboo biplane in 1906. He achieved his dream of flying in a heavier-than-air craft in October of that year, when he flew a distance of 60 meters at a height of two to three meters. As far as the world knew, it was the first airplane flight ever and Santos-Dumont became a hero to the world press. Eventually, the world accepted that the Wrights had indeed flown a heavier-than-air craft before Santos-Dumont. Provided to the AIAA for the sole purpose of its Evolution of Flight Campaign.     Argentina | Austria | Belgium | Brazil | Canada | China | France Germany | Greece | Italy | Japan | Netherlands | Portugal | Romania Russia | Spain | Sweden | United Kingdom | United States Pioneers | Timelines | Helicopter
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Extraio partes traduzidas e comentadas:
 

"Alberto Santos-Dumont foi um dos importantes pioneiros dos começos da aviação." ...(o texto conta sobre a história dele ... antes do avião)... "Ele fez o primeiro vôo oficial de um mais-pesado-que-o-ar na Europa em seu biplano de tela e bambú em 1906. "Ele atingiú seu sonho de voar em outubro de esse ano ...." .... "Foi para o mundo o primeiro aeroplano que jamais tinha voado, e Santos-Dumont foi um heróe da imprensa mundial. Eventualmente, o mundo aceitou que os Wright tinham de fato voado em um mais-pesado-que-o-ar antes de Santos-Dumont"

ESTÁ NESSE "EVENTUALMENTE, O MUNDO ACEITOU" claramente dito que não houve prova, senão consenso.

Você acredita no consenso? Pense um pouco: nesse "mundo" que aceitou, entra Santos-Dumont, ou ele estaria fora do mundo? Ele não aceitou e por isso escreveu o livro "O que eu vi, o que nós veremos".

Quem mais estaría ou está fora de esse mundo? Muitos outros, os informados. Claro que a maioria é desinformada, e têm muitos que não querem se informar, preferem aceitar a versão que predomina no seu meio.

Você sabe quando começou a reivindicação de terem sido os Wright os primeiros, e quem a fez? Pois sería muito bom saber. Eu fico com a versão que me contaram, mas não a conto....

Fazendo uma pesquisa na internet, encontramos o mesmo texto hoje (dezembro de 2001) em:

http://www.daviesharbour.com/aiaa/hist/bra.html

http://www.entrenet.com/~groedmed/santosd.html

http://www.flight100.org/history/bra.html

(guardo cópia de estas três páginas, se não conseguem vé-las podem solicitá-las a mim)

Vejam que contradição resulta a resposta que a "Centennial Commission" dá em mensagem de resposta quando interrogados sobre Santos Dumont (se puderem ler em inglês, embaixo traduzo partes):
 

> >       The U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission has received a > > number of queries and comments from individuals who believe that > > Alberto Santos-Dumont (1873-1932) flew a powered, heavier-than-air > > machine before the Wright brothers.  Santos- Dumont, a Brazilian > > living in France, certainly made the first airplane flights in Europe > > with his biplane, 14-bis, September-November 1906.  It is certainly > > possible to argue that those were also the first successful public > > flights, in the sense that Santos-Dumont announced the date and time > > of his flight trials to the public in advance.  For all of that, and > > more, he deserves all possible honor as one of the leading pioneers > > of flight. > > > >       He did not, however, invent the airplane. The Wright brothers > > made their first four powered flights near Kitty Hawk, NC, on > > December 17, 1903, almost three years before Santos-Dumont's first > > flight with his airplane.  On the best of those four flights, the > > Wright brothers covered a distance of 259.7 meters (852 feet) over > > the ground in 59 seconds.  The best flight of 14-bis, almost three > > years later, was 220 meters (721.8 feet) in 21 1/5 seconds. While the > > Wright airplane acquired flying speed by running down a monorail > > track, rather than running along the ground on wheels, the take-off > > was with engine power alone, unassisted by gravity or a catapult. > > > > The Wright brothers continued their work in Huffman Prairie, a > > pasture located some eight miles east of their hometown of Dayton, > > Ohio in 1904-1905.  By the end of the 1905 flying season, they were > > able to remain in the air for extended periods with their airplane > > operating under complete control.  By the fall of 1905 their record > > flight was 38.9 km (24 1/5 miles) through the air in a little over 39 > > minutes. > > -- > > Beverly J. Farmarco > > Staff Assistant > > Centennial of Flight Commission > > National Aeronautics and Space Administration > > Phone:  202-358-1903  Room 7R73 > > www.centennialofflight.gov

Traduzirei uma parte do final:
 

> He did not, however, invent the airplane.      ELE, PORÉM, NÃO INVENTOU O AVIÃO. >The Wright brothers made their first four powered flights near Kitty Hawk, NC,  OS IRMAOS WRIGHT FIZERAM SEU PRIMEIRO DE QUATRO VOÔS A MOTOR PERTO DE KITTY HAWK, NC > > on December 17, 1903, almost three years before Santos-Dumont's first flight with his airplane.   EM 17 DE DEZEMBRO DE 1903, QUASE TRÊS ANOS ANTES DO PRIMEIRO VÔO DE SANTOS DUMONT COM SEU AVIÃO

(a justificativa é só a assinatura da pessoa, você duvidaria?  Sabe com quem o senhor está falando? 8-)@