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.

March 21, 2025

7 min

A French postcard, circa 1909, showing Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos Dumont in his monoplane, La Demoiselle. (Paul Popper/Popperfoto/Getty Images)

By Terrence McCoy

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.

What readers are saying

The comments reflect a debate over the recognition of the Wright brothers versus Alberto Santos-Dumont in the invention of the airplane. Many commenters emphasize the Wright brothers' pioneering work in controlled, powered flight, highlighting their development of three-axis... Show more

This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.

By Terrence McCoy

Terrence McCoy is The Washington Post's Rio de Janeiro Bureau Chief. He has twice won the George Polk Award and was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2023.@terrence_mccoy

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

What readers are saying

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