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India.com
06-07-2025
- General
- India.com
Who Really Invented The Airplane? The Century-Old Debate Still Divides The Skies
New Delhi: Ask anyone who built the first airplane, and they will tell you – the Wright brothers. But dig a little deeper; the story is not so straightforward. There has been an unspoken, and often physically violent, war over the past one hundred years between continents, cultures and claims. In the United States, the conquest and flight of Orville and Wilbur Wright, self-taught architects and bicycle mechanics, in their aircraft in 1903 is held with great pride. But in Brazil, one name often comes up – Alberto Santos-Dumont. Santos-Dumont is a member of a surrounding coffee-farming family. In 1906, he piloted his machine (14-Bis) in front of a crowd of Parisians and got an international recognition by the International Aeronautics Federation. This is where the story divides. Flying Before the World's Eyes The early 1900s were full of dreamers racing to build a machine that could fly not with balloons, but powered engines and wings. Paris became the heart of that dream. Engineers, investors and inventors flocked to the French capital. The city had money, metal, minds and momentum. Santos-Dumont soared right into this moment. On November 12, 1906, he flew 220 metres before hundreds of witnesses. No tricks. No launch rails. Just a man, a machine and a moment. A year later, he introduced another aircraft – the Demoiselle. It was light, quick and one of the first planes built for mass production. The Wright Brothers' Late Claim In 1908, the Wright brothers stepped forward and claimed they had flown five years earlier on a quiet December morning in 1903 near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Few had seen it. Just five people. The evidence? A telegraph, a few blurry photographs and Orville's diary. French aviation circles were stunned. They had never heard of the Wrights making any public flight before this. Letters between American and European flying clubs had been regular, but there had been no word of a breakthrough from the Wrights for years. The brothers explained they were waiting on a patent. They feared theft. But by then, doubt had crept in. In Kitty Hawk, the wind reportedly blew at 40 kilometre per hour that day – strong enough to lift a glider without an engine. Supporters of the Wrights disagreed. By 1904 and 1905, they argued, the brothers had already developed far superior flyers. Their machines could bank, turn and sustain long flights – capabilities no one else had achieved. Tom Crouch, a historian who has spent a lifetime studying the brothers, puts it plainly – the Wrights knew, on that cold morning in 1903, that they had solved the riddle of powered flight. But they chose secrecy. They kept improving, away from the public eye, until 1908 when they finally stepped onto the European stage. And when they did, it changed everything. They flew before packed crowds. In France and Italy, they made over 200 flights. In one demonstration, Wilbur flew 124 kilometres without landing. European royalty lined up for a chance to fly with them. At that point, even French aviation pioneers like Ferdinand Ferber admitted that these were not flukes. This level of control did not happen overnight. The Catapult Controversy But there remained a controversial issue. The Wrights launched the flyers on a catapult, essentially a mechanism that flung the plane into the air. European critics said this meant that the plane lacked the power to take off. Supporters countered that the catapult was just a tool, not a crutch. Still, Santos-Dumont needed no such help. His plane took off from wheels in front of a live crowd and on its own power. And the debate deepened. The Forgotten Flyers Lost in this duel were the many others who may have flown before or at least tried. It is claimed by some that a German who lived in the United States, Gustav Weißkopf (or Whitehead), flew as early as 1901. While some point to Richard Pearse in New Zealand with an October 1903 flight or an earlier March 1903 flight. Even earlier, in 1871, John Goodman, a South African, reportedly made the first manned glider flight decades before Kitty Hawk. Even earlier, in 1871, a South African man named John Goodman reportedly launched the first manned glider flight decades before Kitty Hawk. A memorial still stands in Howick near the site. That is why many aviation historians refuse to crown any single 'inventor'. Paul Jackson, who edited 'Jane's All the World's Aircraft' for 25 years, says the race to the skies was not won by a lone genius. It was the result of tireless and collective effort. 'No one just woke up one day, sketched a plane and flew. It took hundreds of minds, dozens of failures and years of determination,' he says. Recognition, or Lack of It Jackson believes Santos-Dumont, Whitehead, and others never got their due. He doe not mince words, 'In the end, it is the ones with the best lawyers who get remembered.' History, he argues, often rewards the wrong people. He points to Alexander Graham Bell who is famous for inventing the telephone. But in 2002, the US Congress acknowledged that the true inventor may have been Antonio Meucci – a poor Italian who shared a workshop with Bell. Marcia Cummings, a descendant of aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss, runs a blog uncovering buried truths of early flight. The Wrights once dragged Curtiss into court for patent infringement in 1909. She believes the Wrights tried to erase rivals like Curtiss from the story. But Amanda Wright Lane, great-grandniece of Orville and Wilbur, does not buy that. She has spent years preserving their legacy and says the brothers only wanted credit for what they achieved – nothing more, nothing less. 'I knew Orville. I do not believe he wanted to take anything from anyone. He just wanted the truth of their work to survive,' she says. And the Truth? The truth may never land on one runway. The airplane was not born in a single place. It took shape over decades in barns, backyards and crowded labs across continents. The sky, after all, has room for many stories.
Time of India
05-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Ramsar tag for Khichan in Phalodi, Menar in Udaipur
1 2 Jaipur/Udaipur: Two wetlands in Rajasthan—Khichan in Phalodi and Menar in Udaipur—were declared Ramsar Sites, raising India's total count to 91. With the addition of these wetlands, Rajasthan now has four Ramsar sites, including Sambhar Salt Lake and Keoladeo Ghana National Park in Bharatpur. India has the highest number of such Wetlands in Asia. The announcement came on the eve of World Environment Day 2025, reinforcing Rajasthan's commitment to preserving its natural ecosystems. Menar, often called the 'Bird Village,' is celebrated for its community-driven conservation success, while Khichan is renowned for hosting thousands of migratory Demoiselle cranes each year, attracting birdwatchers nationwide. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the development on X, saying, "Great news! India's strides in environmental conservation are happening with great vigour and are powered by public participation." Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change minister Bhupender Yadav announced the addition of Menar and Khichan on X. He said, "Tally 91! On the eve of Environment Day, India welcomes two new entrants to the list of Wetlands of International Importance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Viva a melhor experiência de estudo no exterior (Inscreva-se agora) Study Abroad Saiba Mais Undo The latest Ramsar sites in India are Khichan in Phalodi and Menar in Udaipur, Rajasthan. This addition is a testament to PM Shri @narendramodi ji's vision, driving India towards a greener tomorrow. Congratulations to India, especially the people of Rajasthan!" Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma conveyed his pride at the announcement too. "A proud moment for Rajasthan! On the eve of Environment Day, Khichan (Phalodi) and Menar (Udaipur) join the prestigious Ramsar list, taking India's tally to 91. Grateful to PM Shri @narendramodi ji for his visionary leadership in environmental conservation and to Union Environment Minister Shri @byadavbjp ji for his dedicated efforts," he said on X. In 2023, the State Wetland Authority recommended Khichan and Menar, along with three other sites in Rajasthan, for Ramsar designation. Their inclusion reaffirms India's ongoing efforts to protect its diverse wetland ecosystems. The Ramsar Convention, adopted in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar, provides a global framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. India became a signatory in 1982. A forest official said, "The Ramsar status not only enhances the ecological significance of these wetlands but also brings international support for their sustainable management and protection. "
