On 27 Jun 2004 12:20:48 -0700, (Mike Brooks) wrote:

Robert de León wrote in message ...
I'm prepping for a presentation and was wondering: who was the first to
actually thermal.

I assume that early glider pilots noted soaring birds and thought "there
must be rising air where they're turning and climbing." I've read a few
references as to WHEN it was achieved by glider pilots (but not a firm
date). I haven't found details as to who genuinely went after one, where it
happened and what they were flying. I'm guessing part of it was trial and
error while slope soaring...followed by "ah-ha!"

According to "The Story of Gliding" by Ann Welch (chapter 10 - First
Thermals):

"However, the first real thermal soaring, without either hills or
thunderstorms, took place in the United States. An American, A.
Haller, and a German far from home, Wolf Hirth, were the first to
realise their opportunity."

Hirth traveled to Elmira, New York to participate in the first
soaring meeting there, bringing with him a Musterle glider. On the
last day of competition, he and Haller made a thermal flight from
Elmira to Waverly, NY.

That was the 5th of October, 1930 - almost just over years *after*
Robert Kronfeld's soaring flight from the Wasserkuppe. Also, according
to Simons, once Kronfeld had made the first thermal flight at the
August, 1928 meeting the secret was out and several other pilots made
thermal flights at the same meeting despite not having varios, such as
a 775 m height gain and a 35 km xc goal flight. They'd twigged that
the cumulus was the key.

Wolf Hirth was, however, the second pilot after Kronfeld to use a
vario and had it installed in the Musterle when he took it to Elmira.

She mentions Kronfeld, Georgii and others at the Wasserkuppe as well,
but the first practical use of thermals (which I'm taking as Bob's
question) is as above.

I don't think the issue is all that clear cut. For starters, Kronfeld
clearly used a thermal to get up and away from the Wasserkuppe and
used more thermals to get back the he knew what he was doing. OTOH
he parked in slope lift on the Himmeldunkberg while waiting for the
thermal he needed to start his upwind leg back to the Wasserkuppe.
For seconds Elmira is on a hill (Harris Hill): not really what I'd
call flat land.

Personally I think a thermal flight is a thermal flight regardless of
whether the launch is by aero tow, winch or being bungied off a hill.

In any case, the book is a good read and I highly recommend it.

Thanks for the recommendation. I've added it to my list...



--
martin@ : Martin Gregorie
gregorie : Harlow, UK
demon :
co : Zappa fan & glider pilot
uk :