Alberto Santos-Dumont was a Brazilian expatriate who settled in Paris and who played such an important part in making Europe air-minded through his little airship designs at the beginning of the twentieth century. He went on to produce a series of heavier-than-air craft which may be justifiably described as the world's first true light aircraft. The first of them was the 14bis, which was tested in 1906 suspended under Santos-Dumont's Airship No 14 and which later made a series of short powered 'hops'. Further designs led to a series of little single-seat aircraft known collectively by the name Demoiselle (Dragonfly), the first of which (Demoiselle No 19) flew in 1907. In September 1909, Demoiselle No 20, a much modified version with a more powerful engine, flew for 16 minutes and covered about 18km. The Demoiselle was the first aircraft to be produced for sporting purposes, between 10 and 15 being built for sale to aspiring aviators. Unfortunately, it was also Santos-Dumont's first and last really successful design, as the onset of multiple sclerosis in 1910 compelled him to retire from an active life. He committed suicide in 1932.