Alberto Santos-Dumont

Alberto Santos-Dumont was a pioneering Brazilian aviator known for advancing early aviation in the early 20th century. He designed and flew some of the first successful heavier-than-air aircraft, demonstrating that controlled powered flight was possible. In 1906, he famously flew his airplane, the 14-bis, in front of witnesses in Paris, helping to establish aviation as a practical reality. Santos-Dumont’s efforts contributed significantly to the development of aircraft technology, and he is celebrated as a national hero in Brazil for his role in the birth of powered flight.