Alberto Braniff
Encyclopedia
Alberto Braniff was a Mexican
airplane
pilot.
Braniff was born in a wealthy and powerful family in Mexico during the Porfirio Diaz
era. His father was the industrial Thomas Braniff, who came to Mexico to build the Veracruz
railroad. Alberto went to study in Europe
, where aviation
flourished as he was a young adult. It was while in France
that Braniff was able to acquire a French built airplane. Soon after, he shipped back to his home country, with his airplane aboard the ship
.
Mexico during that era was a relatively new country in need of new achievements. After their country lost the Mexican-American War, Mexicans needed to look up to someone or to some type of success as a source of national pride. When Braniff returned home with his airplane, many Mexicans began to see him as a symbol of hope. Braniff, who had learned to fly the airplane while still in Europe, took it up upon himself to become that source of pride.
Years before Braniff was born, a prominent Mexico City
newspaper
had predicted that it would be impossible to fly to that city because of its high altitude and thin air. The article was published during an era when aerostat
popularity was rising in Europe, and some Mexicans had successfully flown them in the northern areas of the country.
The exact year remains unclear, but most historical articles report that Braniff flew his airplane over Mexico City between 1908 and 1910. Apart from being the first pilot to fly an airplane over Mexico City, he made history by becoming both the first pilot to fly an airplane in Mexico and in Latin America
.
Later on, other luminaries such as Argentina
's Jorge Newbery
and Peru
's Jorge Chavez
followed Braniff as famous Latin American aviators.
Alberto Braniff, by most accounts, led a quiet life after his achievement, but he lived long enough to see Benito Juarez International Airport begin to operate, and Mexican aviation's technical developments of the jet
era.
Braniff died in Mexico City in 1966. It remains unclear whether he had any family connection with the Braniff brothers of Texas
that created Braniff Airways
.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
airplane
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
pilot.
Braniff was born in a wealthy and powerful family in Mexico during the Porfirio Diaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
era. His father was the industrial Thomas Braniff, who came to Mexico to build the Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
railroad. Alberto went to study in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
flourished as he was a young adult. It was while in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
that Braniff was able to acquire a French built airplane. Soon after, he shipped back to his home country, with his airplane aboard the ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
.
Mexico during that era was a relatively new country in need of new achievements. After their country lost the Mexican-American War, Mexicans needed to look up to someone or to some type of success as a source of national pride. When Braniff returned home with his airplane, many Mexicans began to see him as a symbol of hope. Braniff, who had learned to fly the airplane while still in Europe, took it up upon himself to become that source of pride.
Years before Braniff was born, a prominent Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
had predicted that it would be impossible to fly to that city because of its high altitude and thin air. The article was published during an era when aerostat
Aerostat
An aerostat is a craft that remains aloft primarily through the use of buoyant lighter than air gases, which impart lift to a vehicle with nearly the same overall density as air. Aerostats include free balloons, airships, and moored balloons...
popularity was rising in Europe, and some Mexicans had successfully flown them in the northern areas of the country.
The exact year remains unclear, but most historical articles report that Braniff flew his airplane over Mexico City between 1908 and 1910. Apart from being the first pilot to fly an airplane over Mexico City, he made history by becoming both the first pilot to fly an airplane in Mexico and in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
Later on, other luminaries such as Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
's Jorge Newbery
Jorge Newbery
Jorge "George" Newbery, born Jorge Alejandro Newbery , was an Argentine pilot of North American descent. His father, Ralph Newbery , emigrated from Long Island, to Argentina after the American Civil War...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
's Jorge Chavez
Jorge Chávez
Jorge Chávez Dartnell , also known as Géo Chávez, was a Franco – Peruvian aviator. At a young age, he achieved fame for his aeronautical feats...
followed Braniff as famous Latin American aviators.
Alberto Braniff, by most accounts, led a quiet life after his achievement, but he lived long enough to see Benito Juarez International Airport begin to operate, and Mexican aviation's technical developments of the jet
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
era.
Braniff died in Mexico City in 1966. It remains unclear whether he had any family connection with the Braniff brothers of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
that created Braniff Airways
Braniff International Airways
Braniff International Airways was an American airline that operated from 1928 until 1982, primarily in the midwestern and southwestern U.S., South America, Panama, and in its later years also Asia and Europe...
.