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History of Flight

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Santos-Dumont

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Santos-Dumont

The wealthy young Brazilian Alberto Santos-Dumont used Paris as a stage for his aeronautical exploits with airships and planes. For several years he was internationally acclaimed as the first man to have achieved powered flight. However as the earlier efforts of the Wright Brothers became generally accepted his exploits were recognised as having been only the first powered flight in Europe.



On the 22nd October 1906 Santos-Dumont made a flight of about 60 metres at a height of 2 to 3 metres. Three weeks later on 12th November he made four more flights, the longest being of 220 metres at a height of one metre and lasting 21 seconds.



The name Santos is now best known for the wrist watch, made for him by his friend Louis Cartier to help with his ballooning adventures. The dare-devil reputation and popularity of Santos-Dumont in Paris helped to lead a change in fashion for men from pocket watch to wrist watch.