First aerial crossing of the South Atlantic
Encyclopedia
The first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic was made by the Portuguese naval aviators
Gago Coutinho
and Sacadura Cabral
in 1922, to mark the centennial of Brazil
's independence. Coutinho and Cabral flew from Lisbon
, Portugal
, to Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
, covering a distance of 8383 kilometres (5,209 mi) between March 30 and June 17.
in the Tagus
, near the Belém Tower
in Lisbon, at 16:30 on March 30, 1922, in the Portuguese Naval Aviation
aircraft Lusitânia, a Fairey III-D MkII
seaplane
specifically fitted for himself, with an artificial horizon for aeronautical use. This invention revolutionized air navigation at the time.
The first part of the journey ended on the same day at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
(Canary Islands
), where the aviators noticed that the plane's fuel consumption was higher than expected. The journey resumed on April 5, when they departed for São Vicente Island
, Cape Verde
, traversing 850 miles. After making repairs on the Lusitânia, they departed on April 17 to Praia
on Santiago Island
, and then to the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, already in Brazilian waters, where they arrived on April 17, after flying 1700 kilometres (1,056.3 mi) over the South Atlantic. They had reached that point relying solely on the Coutinho's sextant
with its artificial horizon.
However, when ditching on the rough seas near the archipelago, the Lusitânia lost one of its floats and sank. The two aviators were saved by the cruiser
NRP República, which had been sent by the Portuguese Navy
to support the aerial crossing. The aviators were then carried to the Brazilian Fernando de Noronha
islands.
, the President of Brazil
– was sent out, carried by the cruiser NRP Carvalho Araújo. On June 5, the Santa Cruz was put in the waters of Fernando Noronha and Coutinho and Cabral resumed their journey, flying to Recife
, then to Salvador da Bahia
, then to Vitória and from there to Rio de Janeiro
, where they arrived on June 17, 1922, ditching on the Guanabara bay
, and being received as heroes by the aviation pioneer Santos Dumont and huge crowds. Although the journey lasted 79 days, the actual flight time was just 62 hours and 26 minutes.
, the Brazilian João Ribeiro de Barros
and the Portuguese Sarmento de Beires
, all of them in 1927.
Portuguese Naval Aviation
The Portuguese Naval Aviation , was the air branch of the Portuguese Navy until 1952, and is today the command of the Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships...
Gago Coutinho
Gago Coutinho
Carlos Viegas Gago Coutinho, GCTE, GCC, generally known simply as Gago Coutinho was a Portuguese aviation pioneer who, together with Sacadura Cabral , was the first to cross the South Atlantic Ocean by air, from March to June 1922 , from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro.The Fairey IIIB seaplane used by...
and Sacadura Cabral
Sacadura Cabral
Artur de Sacadura Freire Cabral, GCTE , known simply as Sacadura Cabral , was a Portuguese aviation pioneer who in 1922, together with Gago Coutinho , conducted the first flight across the South Atlantic Ocean, and also the first using astronomical navigation only, from Lisbon, Portugal, to Rio de...
in 1922, to mark the centennial of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
's independence. Coutinho and Cabral flew from Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, covering a distance of 8383 kilometres (5,209 mi) between March 30 and June 17.
First aircraft
The journey started at the Bom Sucesso Naval Air StationPortuguese Naval Aviation
The Portuguese Naval Aviation , was the air branch of the Portuguese Navy until 1952, and is today the command of the Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships...
in the Tagus
Tagus
The Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It is long, in Spain, along the border between Portugal and Spain and in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. It drains an area of . The Tagus is highly utilized for most of its course...
, near the Belém Tower
Belém Tower
Belém Tower or the Tower of St Vincent is a fortified tower located in the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém in the municipality of Lisbon, Portugal...
in Lisbon, at 16:30 on March 30, 1922, in the Portuguese Naval Aviation
Portuguese Naval Aviation
The Portuguese Naval Aviation , was the air branch of the Portuguese Navy until 1952, and is today the command of the Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships...
aircraft Lusitânia, a Fairey III-D MkII
Fairey III
The Fairey Aviation Company Fairey III was a family of British reconnaissance biplanes that enjoyed a very long production and service history in both landplane and seaplane variants...
seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
specifically fitted for himself, with an artificial horizon for aeronautical use. This invention revolutionized air navigation at the time.
The first part of the journey ended on the same day at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria commonly known as Las Palmas is the political capital, jointly with Santa Cruz, the most populous city in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands and the ninth largest city in Spain, with a population of 383,308 in 2010. Nearly half of the people of the island...
(Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
), where the aviators noticed that the plane's fuel consumption was higher than expected. The journey resumed on April 5, when they departed for São Vicente Island
São Vicente, Cape Verde
São Vicente , also Son Visent or Son Sent in Cape Verdean Creole, is one of the Barlavento islands of Cape Verde. It is located between the islands of Santo Antão and Santa Luzia, with the Canal de São Vicente separating it from Santo Antão.- Geography :The island is roughly rectangular in shape...
, Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
, traversing 850 miles. After making repairs on the Lusitânia, they departed on April 17 to Praia
Praia
Praia , is the capital and largest city of Cape Verde, an island nation in the Atlantic Ocean west of Senegal. It lies on the southern coast of Santiago island in the Sotavento Islands group. It is the island's ferry port and is home to one of the nation’s four international airports...
on Santiago Island
Santiago, Cape Verde
Santiago , or Santiagu in Cape Verdean Creole, is the largest island of Cape Verde, its most important agricultural centre and home to half the nation’s population. At the time of Darwin's voyage it was called St. Jago....
, and then to the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, already in Brazilian waters, where they arrived on April 17, after flying 1700 kilometres (1,056.3 mi) over the South Atlantic. They had reached that point relying solely on the Coutinho's sextant
Sextant
A sextant is an instrument used to measure the angle between any two visible objects. Its primary use is to determine the angle between a celestial object and the horizon which is known as the altitude. Making this measurement is known as sighting the object, shooting the object, or taking a sight...
with its artificial horizon.
However, when ditching on the rough seas near the archipelago, the Lusitânia lost one of its floats and sank. The two aviators were saved by the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
NRP República, which had been sent by the Portuguese Navy
Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....
to support the aerial crossing. The aviators were then carried to the Brazilian Fernando de Noronha
Fernando de Noronha
Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of 21 islands and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, offshore from the Brazilian coast. The main island has an area of and had a population of 3,012 in the year 2010...
islands.
Second aircraft
Enthusiastic Portuguese and Brazilian public opinion about the flight led the Portuguese government to send another seaplane of the same type to complete the journey. The new plane, baptized Pátria, arrived at Fernando Noronha on May 6. After being refitted, the Pátria departed on May 11 with Coutinho and Cabral on board. They flew to the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago to resume the journey at the point where had been interrupted. However, an engine problem forced them to once again make an emergency ditching in the middle of the ocean, where they stayed 9 hours until being saved by the nearby British cargo ship Paris City which carried them back to Fernando Noronha.Third aircraft
A third Fairey III – baptized Santa Cruz by the wife of Epitácio PessoaEpitácio Pessoa
Epitácio Lindolfo da Silva Pessoa was a Brazilian politician and jurist, and president of the republic between 1919 and 1922, when Rodrigues Alves could not take office due to illness after being elected in 1918...
, the President of Brazil
President of Brazil
The president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces...
– was sent out, carried by the cruiser NRP Carvalho Araújo. On June 5, the Santa Cruz was put in the waters of Fernando Noronha and Coutinho and Cabral resumed their journey, flying to Recife
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
, then to Salvador da Bahia
Salvador, Bahia
Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...
, then to Vitória and from there to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, where they arrived on June 17, 1922, ditching on the Guanabara bay
Guanabara Bay
Guanabara Bay is an oceanic bay located in southeastern Brazil in the state of Rio de Janeiro. On its western shore lies the city of Rio de Janeiro, and on its eastern shore the cities of Niterói and São Gonçalo. Four other municipalities surround the bay's shores...
, and being received as heroes by the aviation pioneer Santos Dumont and huge crowds. Although the journey lasted 79 days, the actual flight time was just 62 hours and 26 minutes.
Later transatlantic flights
Coutinho and Cabral's aerial crossing was the inspiration for subsequent transatlantic flights, such as those of the American Charles LindberghCharles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
, the Brazilian João Ribeiro de Barros
João Ribeiro de Barros
João Ribeiro de Barros was the first aviator of the three Americas to make an air crossing from Europe to America, on April 28, 1927, crossing the Atlantic Ocean with the Savoia-Marchetti S.55 hydroplane Jahú. On his flight, he had the company of three others: João Negrão , Newton Braga and Vasco...
and the Portuguese Sarmento de Beires
Sarmento de Beires
José Manuel Sarmento de Beires was a Portuguese Army officer and an aviation pioneer....
, all of them in 1927.