Como Santos Dumont inventou o avião

Abstract

The fundamental aerodynamics forces in the heavier-than-air flight are four: thrust, drag, weight and lift. This article shows how Alberto Santos Dumont, the great Brazilian aviation pioneer, managed to create, starting from a lighter-than-air craft-the dirigible balloon - the first successful airplane in history, working only with those forces. Copyright by the Sociedade Brasileira de Física. Printed in Brazil.