Alberto Santos-Dumont

Today is a very exciting day for all of us here on Champs de Bagatelle, in the Bois the Boulogne. And again the man that produced this excitement was Alberto Santos-Dumont.

After some time experimenting with balloons, Santos-Dumont started to think about heavier-than-air aeroplanes as the natural development to flying. He joined Voisin and together they started to develop an aeroplane.

The machine's wings were based on Lawrence Hargrave´s 1890´s box-kites and the main planes have a dihedral angle. The Antoinette engine is placed between the wings and the propeller is placed behind. The flying control is in the front part of the fuselage, which is another box-kite cell that can turn up and down. There is a basket from where Santos, in standing position, can pilot the machine.

It is called 14-bis.

I was with him some time ago when he was testing the machine attached to his balloon No. 14. It was a very strange combination!

The Aéro Club announced a prize of 1,500,000 francs for the first aircraft to fly 100 meters. Monsieur Archdeacon added to this the amount of 3,000,000 francs for the first to fly 25 meters.

Yesterday, Santos-Dumont informed the Aéro Club members that he would try to fly 25 meters today.

A friend of mine in the Aéro Club came to my house last night and told me of this, but as I forgot to ask him the exact hour, I arrived here early in the morning.

Bagatelle had only a few people, and I realized I had come very early...

After some time Santos came with his 14-bis and some helpers. I talked with him as he adjusted some final things. He said he hoped to fly the distance with his machine, but would test a few things before his attempt.

Shortly after, Bagatelle was crowded. There were many people: members of the Aéro Club, Monsieur Archdeacon, photographers, reporters and a great crowd awaiting "little Santos" as we here in Paris call him. He always surprises us!

Santos' popularity in Paris is outstanding. I think that every citizen here knows him. His feats in ballooning create in this city a great passion for flying in all of us. Observing him flying here is as normal as seeing a friend driving a motorcar.

At 8:45 Santos was in the basket and the engine was running. He tried a few runs across the grass, and, in one of them, one of the landing wheels fell off. It was replaced and he tried again. He didn't leave the ground.

After some runs, a propeller blade flew off and it was replaced as well. The Aéro Club observers were skeptical. After this mishap, Santos explained that he needed to adjust some parts, but he still had great hopes of flying the machine today. Santos, and his chief mechanic Albert Chapin, along with his helpers worked hard and by 15:45, Santos was ready to try again.

More than 1,000 spectators filled the crowd, waiting for Bagatelle to be forever written in aviation history. The crowd began to surround Santos leaving little room. Santos waved for them to stand back from the basket.

The 14-bis began to move across the field. Faster and faster it went. The moment had come.

The nose lifted... and time stopped for me. The light surprised the clouds and flooded with beauty the space that floated around the plane... There was no air, anymore... There was only a man and his magnificent dream. The wheels lifted off the ground. Silence... The plane was flying.

For seconds it stayed in the air like a magic bird. I cannot remember having heard a sound. I think that there wasn't any...

Then, slowly the plane made a graceful curve to the left and began to descend. The landing was rough and the wheels were damaged, but the airplane was safe.

The crowd was astonished. Many shouted and hurried to the plane and his pilot. Others stood in silent... Santos was taken from the basket on the shoulders of the supporters and carried in triumph.

The Aéro Club members were so amazed that they didn't measure the distance, but most watchers, including myself, thought that he flew about sixty meters and at a height of 2.5 to 3 meters.

The Archdeacon Prize had been won.

It's almost twilight now. The ground crew has already taken the plane away. I spoke with him as he was leaving with Monsieur Archdeacon and the members of the Aéro Club. He was very, very happy.

I couldn't leave Bagatelle. I needed write these words here. The same place, the same day.

The news about the flight at Bagatelle is out as there is something in the air here.

Peace...

Paul Tessandier
WWW Correspondent