Santos-Dumont eventually gave up with the 14-bis as it was too unstable and in 1907 began the development of the world's first light aeroplane, the Demoiselle. The bamboo monoplane, likened to a butterfly, needed only a 20-hp motor to fly. Like the 14-bis, and his balloons, it was covered in the finest yellow silk from Japan. The Demoiselle was only 8 metres long and Santos-Dumont was able to transport it in the back of his car. Although it seemed very fragile and the pilot sat beneath the wing, and close to the ground, the Demoiselle proved to be a very safe aeroplane.