Review of "Wings of Madness," Nova DVD

 Review of

Wings of Madness, Nova DVD

Five out of five stars

The unknown history of aviation

 Through the course of my life, I have read hundreds of books in the area of science and technology. Those books cover all areas, and many dealt with the history of technological progress. Yet, until I viewed this video I did not know the name of Alberto Santos-Dumont. He was the son of a wealthy Brazilian coffee magnate and so had a great deal of money available. 

 A boyhood dreamer about science fiction, Santos-Dumont grew very proficient in mechanical matters and once he reached adulthood, his obsession became flight. He was an incredibly brave and daring man and his first flights were in balloons. Santos-Dumont quickly grew bored with that as he wanted to fly devices that he could control. 

 His first endeavors in that area were dirigibles, lighter than air balloons that had a motor and steering apparatus. After some serious crashes, he managed to achieve a milestone of circling the Eiffel Tower in Paris. To do this he had to construct a gasoline motor with the power to move the balloon and reliable enough for extended flights. He built the motor himself and the airship construction he did not do himself he planned and supervised. 

 His next endeavor was the development of a heavier than air flying craft and his successful flight was the first witnessed and immediately documented flight of a heavier than air device. There is still significant debate over the chronology of Santos-Dumont flights versus those of the Wright brothers. 

 This video is a history of the life of Santos-Dumont with an emphasis on his many accomplishments in the development of human flight. It is a story that should be far more emphasized in the United States, he is a national hero in Brazil. Santos-Dumont lived long enough to follow the development of warplanes and was appalled at their use for death and destruction. He died in 1932, a depressed man that blamed himself for the use of planes as instruments of death. 

 This movie is well done, the images are clear and informative, and the narration is understandable to a broad audience. 


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