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Wings of Madness
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Program Overview
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NOVA profiles Alberto Santos-Dumont, a legendary inventor who, at the turn of
the 20th century, inspired a generation of aeronauts to push the
limits of their courage and imagination.
The program:
presents Santos's dream of making flight an everyday reality that could
be experienced by anyone. shows how the famous aviator streamlined and simplified dirigible
design. notes Santos's trial-and-error experimental method, in which he would fly
his vehicle, improve it, and then fly it again. reviews the vehicles Santos built and tested, including his dirigibles,
as well as airplanes like the #14bis, and the Demoiselle. features some of the innovations he pioneered, including a backup
interior dirigible balloon to counteract changes in hydrogen gas, an efficient
gas-fueled engine to power aircraft, and the use of piano wire to connect the
many components of his airships. chronicles the aviator's efforts to win the Deutsch Prize offered to the
first airship that could cover three-and-a-half miles in a half hour. presents Santos's endeavors to build a heavier-than-air craft and
showcases his box-kite design for #14bis. reports on the problem being faced by most flight pioneers of the
time—maintaining control of the aircraft while in flight. features the building and testing of a #14bis replica. recalls Santos's crash landing in his Demoiselle aircraft and the
injuries he sustained from the collision. notes how the innovative experimenter began to suffer depression when he
saw planes being used for military purposes leading him to eventually take his
own life.
Taping Rights: Can be used up to one year after the program is taped off the air.
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