Claims to the first airplane flight

Lore & Background

The Wright brothers' 1903 flight of 852 feet (260 m) is often challenged because it was not officially witnessed and used a rail for takeoff. In Brazil, Alberto Santos-Dumont is taught as the inventor of the airplane, with his 1906 flights of 60 meters and 220 meters fully documented in France. In 2013, the Connecticut legislature adopted a bill naming Gustave Whitehead as the first to fly, a claim he made in 1901, later challenged by documentation problems and contradictory witness statements.

Clément Ader made a brief uncontrolled hop in his Éole in 1890, but such a hop is not regarded as true flight. His later claim of a more extended flight was debunked in 1910 when the official report was published. Samuel Pierpont Langley's 1903 tests of his Aerodrome were not successful, but in 1914 Glenn Curtiss flew a modified version, leading the Smithsonian to claim it was the first plane 'capable of flight' until 1942.

Other notable claimants include Karl Jatho (1903), Richard Pearse (1903–1904), Trajan Vuia (1906), and Jacob Ellehammer (1906). The ability to take off unaided and the minimum distance flown are subjects of contention. Air historian Charles Gibbs-Smith defined moving through a quarter mile of air as the standard, putting the Wright brothers first, but noted that criteria must remain to some extent a matter of opinion.

Reader's Guide

The controversy over the first airplane flight reflects differing national pride, documentation standards, and definitions of flight. The Wright brothers' intensive study of aerodynamics, custom engine, and three-axis control satisfy the generally accepted requirements of sustained, powered, and controlled flight. However, their lack of official witnesses and use of a rail for takeoff have fueled alternative claims. Santos-Dumont's 1906 flights are undisputed as flights but rarely credited as first. Whitehead's 1901 claim gained legislative recognition in Connecticut despite weak evidence. Ader's and Langley's claims were undermined by later reports or modifications. The debate remains unresolved in some circles, with the Smithsonian's 1942 admission of modifications to Langley's Aerodrome and its contract with the Wright estate shaping official recognition. As of the 21st century, the Wright brothers are generally accepted as first, but many in Brazil regard Santos-Dumont as the first successful aviator.

Did You Know?

• The Wright brothers' 1903 flight of 852 feet (260 m) involved a half mile (800 m) of moving air.
• In 2013, the Connecticut legislature adopted a bill naming Gustave Whitehead as the first to fly.
• Clément Ader's claim of a 1,000-foot flight in 1897 was refuted in 1910 when the French Ministry for War published its report.
• The Smithsonian Institution refused to credit the Wright brothers until 1942, after admitting modifications to Langley's Aerodrome.