Marvin Long, Jr. wrote:
>
>> The first public flight by a self-propelled, heavier-
>> than-air vehicle was by Alberto Santos-Dumont, in
>> Paris.
>
><raised eyebrow>
>
>As far as I know, Santos-Dumont's plane flew in 1906 for several hundred
>feet, er, meters.
>
>Maybe it's just American capitalist propaganda,
>
Yes, it is. Even Clinton recognized Santos-Dumont precedence
in inventing the airplane.
>but I'm under the distinct
>impression that the Wright Bros. first flew in 1903, and were attempting
>to market in 1905 an improved airplane capable of flying for miles--sorry,
>kilometers.
>
>Any reason I shouldn't believe that?
>
I guess this 1905 date is wrong, or maybe they didn't have an
airplane but they were hoping to have one. Notice the flags that
I put in S-D's claims: *heavier than air*, *public* and *self-propelled*.
AFAIK, WB's 1903 flight was not public, and the launch was
by a catapult.
Alberto Monteiro
