Discover a forgotten pioneer: Manuel Rivera. His story is in La Aportación de Manuel Rivera a la Navegación Aérea. The book is a monograph from the Ministry of Defence. It rescues Manuel Rivera. He was a military man from Vigo in the 19th century. He conceived one of the first designs for an airship. Other names eclipsed him. Giffard, Von Zeppelin, or Torres Quevedo are better known.

In 1865, Rivera proposed an airship prototype. It was based on steam as a propellant. He published it in the Memorial de Artillería magazine. His design was revolutionary. It had technical advances similar to Giffard's. But it was more aerodynamic and lighter. It did not use propellers for greater stability.

The limited power of the engines of the time discouraged him. He did not patent his model until the 20th century. Technology had advanced with Von Zeppelin. He did not obtain the necessary financial support. His invention fell into oblivion.

La Aportación de Manuel Rivera a la Navegación Aérea vindicates his merit. The book analyzes his life and his prototype. It places it in its historical context. It considers its future influence. It explores the beginnings of aeronautics in Spain. It reflects on airships: past, present, and future. Through La Aportación de Manuel Rivera a la Navegación Aérea, you will learn about his vision.

Airships did not compete with airplanes at the time. Today they are used for aerial surveillance. They save fuel compared to helicopters. Recent patents are similar to his proposal from 150 years ago. His propulsion device was on the longitudinal axis. This book pays tribute to Manuel Rivera y Sempere. It recognizes his contributions to the development of aerial navigation.