The Public Flight of the 14-bis
On October 23, 1906, a strange-looking machine lifted off a field near Paris, France. Its pilot, Brazilian inventor Alberto Santos-Dumont, flew it in front of witnesses. The flight was brief, but it offered public evidence that a powered airplane could rise from the ground and travel through the air.
The machine was called the 14-bis. It did not look much like a modern airplane. Its wings were made of box-shaped sections, and its pilot stood in a small basket-like space. An engine turned a propeller that pushed the aircraft forward. As the machine gained speed, air moved over and under its wings, helping create the upward force called lift.
Santos-Dumont had already experimented with airships, which used gas to help them float. The 14-bis worked differently. It was heavier than air, so it needed to move fast enough for its wings to support it. That made the engine, propeller, and wings a team: the engine powered the propeller, the propeller pushed the aircraft forward, and the moving wings helped lift it.
A flight people could witness
- witnesses:
- People who see an event happen.
- evidence:
- Facts or observations that help show whether something is true.
- propeller:
- A part with blades that spin to help move an aircraft.
- officials:
- People given responsibility for a particular duty.
- observe:
- To watch something carefully.
- milestones:
- Important events or achievements in a longer process.
- aviation:
- The activity and field of flying aircraft.
One passage, many ways to practice
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Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
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Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
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Structure
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Vocabulary
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Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What is the main idea of the passage, and which detail supports it?
- 2How did the engine, propeller, and wings work together to make the 14-bis fly?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“The Public Flight of the 14-bis” is a explanatory article reading passage about Early aviation, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (438 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.