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> Wrights were actually very secretive and they were reluctant to publish anything before they got the patent. I believe that this was not true for Santos-Dumo
by JD557 10y ago
> Wrights were actually very secretive and they were reluctant to publish anything before they got the patent.
I believe that this was not true for Santos-Dumont[1] though. I wonder if he had more media coverage at the time.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Santos-Dumont https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Santos-Dumont
- masklinn 10y agoIt's not true of most other aviation pioneers, because they were either independently wealthy or well-funded. The Wright brothers were self-funded but not really wealthy, their flyers were their path to wealth so the secrecy was understandable.
- restalis 10y ago"most other aviation pioneers, because they were either independently wealthy or well-funded" Wrong! One of them was Traian Vuia, struggling with financial difficulties which significantly delayed both the plane development and its final public demonstration in Paris! Other not so wealthy pioneers are Percy Pilcher, Lawrence Hargrave, Samuel Franklin Cody, Otto Lilienthal, Aurel Vlaicu, and many others.