The Wright brothers invented the airplane, right? Not if you're in Brazil

While the Wright brothers are widely recognized as the fathers of flight, Brazilians believe the true inventor of the airplane was one of their own. PETRÓPOLIS, Brazil — Who invented the airplane? Questions don’t get much simpler. But in Brazil and the United States, the answer you’ll get isn’t likely to be the same. In 1903, U.S. schoolchildren are taught, the Wright brothers piloted their Wright Flyer into the air in Kitty Hawk, N.C., and soared into the history books. Brazilians hear a different story: that the true inventor of the airplane was Alberto Santos Dumont — commonly described here as “the father of aviation.” Advertisement For more than a century, ever since he steered his 14-Bis into the Paris sky in 1906, the country has been trying indefatigably to give their man his due, regardless of the academic consensus. Santos Dumont’s mustachioed visage has graced Brazilian currency. One of Rio de Janeiro’s airports is named after him. A replica of his airplane, piloted by a ... Read full article.