History of aviation – November 12, 1906. On this November 12, 1906, the air pioneer of Brazilian nationality Alberto Santos-Dumont took to the skies in the afternoon to try to capture the aviation prize of the Aero- French Club. The latter consists of rewarding the pilot who is the first to manage to fly in a straight line, covering a minimum distance of 100 meters. Success will be there for Alberto Santos-Dumont.
The aviator will, in fact, add this trophy to his list of achievements which already includes the Archdeacon Prize. In particular, showing courtesy to his French counterpart Louis Blériot, he managed to fly a distance of no less than 220 meters in the sky of Bagatelle Park. Operating at an altitude of between two and five meters, he will complete his flight at a speed of approximately 40 kilometers per hour, installed at the controls of a biplane equipped with an Antoinette engine developed by the engineer Levavasseur. , capable of developing a power of 50 horsepower: namely the “14 Bis” airplane.
His perseverance paid off, because Alberto Santos-Dumont did not succeed at first in taking up this challenge, making several attempts on November 12, 1906 before succeeding.
