The first sustained flight of a powered airplane in Europe was made by Santos-Dumont on November 12th, 1906, in a biplane of his design. In 1907 he began work on a monoplane, and after much alteration, he finally developed the highly successful little monoplane, the “Demoiselle,” the smallest aeroplane in use in 1910. Many machines of this type were flown, and their simplicity rendered them quite popular.
Top Speed: 55 m.p.h.
Engine: 30 horse-power Darracq 2-cylinder
Wingspan: 18 feet
Weight: 330 pounds
Specifications from “Monoplanes and Biplanes,” by Grover Loening, 1911
The Frame
The frame, which narrows toward the rear, is made of bamboo and steel joints, with several members of metal tubing.
The Main Wing
The supporting plane has both sides slightly turned up from the center, and consists of a double layer of silk stretched very tightly over bamboo ribs. The plane is braced by wires to the central frame. The curvature is approximately the arc of a circle. The spread is 18 feet, the depth 6.56 feet and the area 113 square feet.
The Direction Rudder and The Elevators
The two rudders are combined at the rear into two fan-shaped surfaces, one vertical and the other horizontal. They are pivoted on a single universal joint. The elevation rudder is 21 square feet in area, while the direction rudder is somewhat less. A lever at the aviator’s right hand controls the movement of the elevation rudder, while a small steering wheel at the aviator’s left hand controls the direction rudder. To rise the tail is moved up, while to turn to the right it is moved to the right.
Roll Control
Transverse control is effected in the Santos-Dumont by the warping of the main planes. This action is governed by a lever at the back of the aviator, and which fits into a socket sewed on his coat. If the aeroplane should suddenly tip up on the left, then the aviator, by moving quickly to the left, pulls down and increases the angle of incidence of the right side of the plane. The ribs of the plane are flexible in this machine.
Keel
There are no keels in the Santos-Dumont monoplane.
Propulsion
A 30 horse-power water-cooled Darracq 2-cylinder motor placed on the top of the plane at the front drives direct a 2-bladed Chauviere wooden propeller 6.9 feet diameter and 6 feet pitch at 1,400 revolutions per minute. Clement-Bayard and Panhard motors are also used on this type of monoplane. The Seat is a strip of canvas placed across the frame below the main plane. The Landing Gear consists of two wheels at the front and a skid at the rear. No springs are provided on the wheels.
Weight, Speed, Loading and Aspect Ratio
The total weight is from 330 to 370 pounds; the speed is 55 miles per hour; 12 pounds are lifted per horse-power and 3.1 pounds per square foot of surface. The aspect ratio is 3 to 1.