A civil engineer by training, from an early stage Lilienthal became interesting in flight. His first experience was a contraption built by his brother Gustav, in 1867. Despite the ensuing failure, Lilienthal was not disheartened and he began a methodical study plan on the flight of birds that he published in 1889. He was the first to appreciate the importance of the curve in birds’ wings for flying. The book was published with the result of his study, Birdflight as the Basis of Aviation, would become the most important for aviation in the 19th century and interesting to read to this day.

Lilienthal constructed his first glider in 1891. Made out of willow twigs and tough cotton fabric, he would lauch himself from a trampoline initially placed at a height of one metre, which was gradually raised up to 2.5 metres. The distance covered increased as well, reaching 25 metres. In 1894, the engineer built the hillock where  we were a short time ago, in Lichterfelde. The circular structure on the top was the hangar where he stored the gliders and where he took off. Using Lichterfelde and other locations, Lilienthal achieve flights up to 250 metres, being the only person at the time to do so on a regular basis until his death, which occurred after an accident in 1896. The machines were controlled by body movement, a technique that would reapper in the 1960s with hang gliders.

Unlike the man chained to the ground in Tegel, Lilienthal flew thanks to his perseverance  and methodical spirit. Through his writing and in-flight photos he managed to overcome a force that was sometimes greater that gravity: the disdain that those who sought to pave the way into the skies had to endure, representing a unique influence in the scientific legitimisation of aviation. At risk of using excessive poetic licence, we could say that, fifty years later, Lilienthal gave invaluable assistance to his countrymen at the time of the Berlim airlift…

In 2001, the film directors Fábio Gavião and Markão Oliveira, visited the community and decide to let the boys tell their story through their own eyes. So, they trained the teenagers in audiovisual techniques (filming and editing) and helped them shoot the different urban tales. As well as supplying the youngsters involved in the Projecto Morrinho with the tools they needed, the filmmakers accompanied its development as an exhibition of art, which received both national and international attention.

What started out as just a bit of fun, turned into an artistic project with multi-disciplinary ramifications – film production and editing (TV Morrinho), workshops, guided tours (Turismo no Morrinho) and volunteer work (Morrinho Social) – and something with enormous social importance; a place where  “street kids” played and recreated the reality of their life in the city and the shanty towns. Today, the 320-square-metre model of the Morrinho (Morrinho Exposição) is a warren of Rio favelas inhabited by Lego people, tin cars and bits and bobs, in a huge visual cacophony.

In recent years, the group has exhibited models on a smaller scale than the original in various places in Rio de Janeiro, as well as at the World Urban Forum in Barcelona (2004), Point Ephémère, in Paris (2005), LAFF, in Utrecht, in Holland (2007) and at the Venice Biennial (2007).

Because of the different aspects that it involves, the Projecto Morrinho is something where artistic expression meets social systems from an inclusive and unifying perspective. A meeting and starting point for a positive and global change: “Our aim is to bring about a positive change, on the one hand challenging the popular perception of Brazilian shanty towns, and on the other, making a direct contribution to the social, cultural and economic development of the surrounding areas.”

In 2008, after seven years following the Morrinho and the lives of those who created it, Gavião and Oliveira released the documentary Morrinho: Deus sabe tudo mas não é X-9.

www.morrinho.com

How to help
This is a small organisation that depends on the support of social networks to expand: communicating about the project is key. As such, you can follow on Facebook, Orkut and Twitter, or on the site, where you can make a donation. You can also get involved in volunteer work.

The little Navion is a four-seater low-wing leisure aircraft, designed by North American Aviation (NAA) in 1946 to keep its workforce occupied until production started on the F86 Sabre fighter. The NAA intended to sell it on the civilian market as a liaison aircraft and trainer for the Air Force, but without much enthusiasm: each Navion was sold for $6,100 despite costing nine thousand to build. The millions made from the F86 contract afforded the NAA such luxury and, soon after it riveting started on the production line, the NAA passed the Navion to Ryan.

Ryan enlarged the engine size (from 200 to 260hp), increasing its top speed to 418 km/h, along with the price-tag ($14,000). It managed to sell some to the US Air Force, but hopes of a lucrative trainer contract were thwarted. Overtures to the Navy were no more successful.

Designed by the same team of engineers responsible for the famous Mustang fighter, the Navion clearly betrayed its origins, which worked against it in the civilian market. Despite expectations of a good number of buyers, especially pilots recently returned from the war and keen to maintain their adrenalin levels with a fast and agile aircraft, the fighter pedigree came between them and their spouses: in a world of pleated skirts there was no way for a lady to get into the Navion and retain her modesty, and the market favoured models which allowed for a pleasant family outing without the morally threatening acrobatics.
Ryan stopped making the Navion in 1951 and sold the rights to Tusco, who restarted production in 1958. In 1961, Hurricane Carla devastated Galveston and Tusco’s headquarters there, and it never recovered, closing down for good.

Never truly successful while in production, the Navion enjoys a healthy existence amongst vintage aircraft aficionados and what went against it in the 1940s and 50s today is its salvation: quick, agile and robust, it is the ‘poor man’s Mustang’, the fan who wants a vintage fighter but lacks the means to acquire one. Hopefully, the Navion community will continue to take to the air for several decades to come.

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Beechcraft Bonanza
The nemesis of the Navion was the Beechcraft Bonanza, still in production today. Started in 1947 and also a single-engined low-wing aircraft, it was however more comfortable for the ladies. Initially with a V-shaped tail, it was later altered to the traditional configuration. Apart from the pilot, it could take 5 passengers at a top speed of 326 km/h. It holds the record for the longest aircraft in continuous production, with 17,000 having been built, and it was the plane flown by the well-known Portuguese paraplegic pilot, Commander Faria de Mello, who took it around the world twice.

Curiosity
The list of celebrities who flew the Navion includes names such as Veronica Lake and Mickey Rooney. Today, no two Navions are alike, due to their length of service, change of makers and numerous alternative suppliers of spare parts.

Numbers
2,469 Navions built / 500 in operation today
40,000 dollars for a Navion today
700,000 dollars for a Beechcraft Bonanza