Alberto Santos Dumont (1873-1932) was a Brazilian aviation pioneer. He designed, built, and flew the first practical dirigible balloons, becoming the first person to demonstrate routine, controlled flight. On October 19, 1901, Santos Dumont won the Deutsch de la Meurthe prize by flying around the Eiffel Tower in a dirigible. He is also known for making the first public flight of an airplane in Europe on October 23, 1906. Santos Dumont is considered the "Father of Aviation" in Brazil for his pioneering aviation work and accomplishments.