Otto Lilienthal (* 23. May 1848 in Anklam, province Pommern; "† 10 August 1896 in Berlin - after a crash in the Rhinower mountains with province Brandenburg the day before) was an important pioneer of the airplane development.

Meaning as a flight pioneer

Lilienthal did not accomplish the first gliding flight according to the principle "more heavily than air", that was 1853 George Cayley, which did not fly its glider however. Lilienthal differed from numerous forerunners however by the fact that he did not only try a unique flight clearly accomplished, but after detailed theoretical and practical pre-working over 1.000mal flight tests with widths to 250 m. Its experimental pre-working mark the beginning of the wing Aerodynamik. Its flight principle was that of the today's hanging glider and by the brothers WRIGHTs for the principle of the airplane was developed further.

Beginnings

A draper's shop, whose clientele - predominant landowner from the environment, possessed Lilienthal's father, mathematically and technically talented man, - lost it, when the 1848 publicly for the democracy expressed itself. He deceased, when the family had already decided the emigration to America. The life gave Lilienthal's nut/mother, that had studied music in Dresden and Berlin, to eight children. Five died at the age of few months or years. Their sons Otto and Gustav visited from 1856 to 1864 the High School in Anklam, in mathematics instruction met them thereby on Gustav

The two accomplished already 1862 first flight tests: They observed the bird flight, particularly from storks and built a pair of wings from borders and beech splinter boards. Then they went at night - over not to be scoffed - to the ball catch of the Anklamer of range, in order to run toward the wings with the arms moving the wind. The flight of the birds, particularly the storks remained even in later scientific work a substantial source of inspiration, with which those of Lilienthal were quite early Bioniker.

Mechanical engineering and flight technology

Starting from 1864 Otto visited the Potsdamer Provinzialgewerbeschule, whereby it lived with relatives. After two years it began a practical course with the citizens of Berlin engine works Schwartzkopff. Now it divided a bed with a droschken and as "Schlafbur" Rollkut.

1867 and 1868 built the brothers Lilienthal in Anklam of experimentation devices for the production of lift by flapping of wings. The result was a maximally liftable mass of 40 kg. Also under the scientific authorities skepticism prevailed in this question. For example examined Hermann of Helmholtz the problem and said 1872 that ""Â… it was hardly probable that humans would be set also by the all-most clever wing-similar mechanism, which he would have to move by his own muscle power into the conditions, its own weight up to lift and receive there". This is not disproved, by the public was misunderstood in such a manner however at that time until today as well known, as if a flight would be generally not possible.

In October 1867 Otto began a study at the trade academy Berlin, from which the TH Charlottenburg followed later, led by Franz Reuleaux, and got a scholarship, which improved its life situation clearly. Also its aerotechnical ambitions had not remained unidentified at the school. After conclusion of the training 1870 Otto deflected an offer of Reuleaux to become assistant. Into a letter from the French-German war, in which Otto participated as a "one year's it reports to its brother on the air balloons, which left besieged Paris.

Ways into the independence

The first attempts of the brothers with their own enterprise money to earn were not successful. The patent application for an air engine failed, the patent for a coal cutting machine brought only temporarily some incomes. The matured drafts for a Kinderspielzeug had to be delivered, since the development would too expensively have come: Friedrich A. Richter bought it and made the binding stone component system world-famous, it is this very day manufactured. 1881 received Otto a patent for coiled tube boiler, which brought hoped for success: A small workshop grew fast to the factory with 60 coworkers, which manufactured the "normal sail apparatus in series starting from 1894 also and so that the first aircraft factory of the world became. The enterprise was extremely modern led - affects of the ideas of Moritz of Egidy -. Already 1890 received the workers a profit-sharing, which constituted 25 % of the clear profit. The steam boiler and engine works Otto Lilienthal in the road 110/113, Berlin still existed under this names up to the First World War.

On the way to success

1889 published Otto its book the bird flight as basis of the fly art, which as the most important aerotechnical publication 19. Century applies. By the broad public it remained however to a large extent unnoticed, it favourisierte aviation according to the principle "more easily than air" the advancement of the balloon to the airship. In its work stressed Otto seriously, one must the bird flight exactly copy. It was completely safe itself to arrive thereby at the goal: "The imitation of the Segelflugs must be possible also humans, since it requires only skillful steering, to which Kraft of humans completely is sufficient." Beyond that it found even that it was the only method for humans, fast, to be able to fly freely and with few Kraft.

In the meantime the brothers had recognized that to the wing shape came to a crucial meaning: "The most important realization of these years was the discovery that curved bearing areas supply a larger lift, as even." The characteristic wing shape had not escaped also different flight technicians, but Lilienthal they connected for the first time with accurate measurements. The brothers WRIGHT say about Lilienthal's tables, it about two decades the best were later, that was present printed. Their procedure "from the step to the jump, from the jump to the flight" made finally the successful gliding flight possible. In the association for the promotion of the Luftschiffahrt, to which Otto already belonged since 1886, he stated his much-considered views in a lecture as follows: "There is nothing operating to want to build than due to theoretical work immediately a flight machine fixed and completely. When the Herumraten and unmethodical trying come out for the fly art nothing at all. The transition must take place rather in a well-planned manner and gradually. "rk

Practical attempts

With the publication of its book Otto Lilienthal regarded the theoretical foundation as sufficient, in order to change over to practical flight tests. In it Gustav did not participate. Consequently the first people flight is today connected with the name Otto Lilienthal exclusively, although its brother participated in the preparations for it crucially.

For the attempts a pasture timber frame covered with gewachstem cotton (Schirting) served. Its extents: 6.6 m span, approx. 14 m bearing area and a largest of 2,5 M. Lilienthal began with standing exercises against the wind, followed from jumps of the jump board in the garden behind the house, which nevertheless already reached 6 to 7 m width. Starting from summer 1891 Otto visited suitable "airfields", first an area at the mill mountain with the joke (district potsdam central Mark). There it came to 25 m far flights, whereby it evaluated each flight and improved the apparatus continuously. For example vertical and horizontal tail surfaces increased stability. Also it was constant on the search for a suitable exercise terrain to be able to start in particular in order with each wind direction against the wind. Thus there were attempts at a gravel pit in Berlin Steglitz, in the Rhinower mountains with between Rathenow and new city, at the Dosse lain. Latter place became starting from 1893 to the main exercise area, there arrives to flying ranges to 250 M. 1894 let Lilienthal in Berlin light field at its expense 15 m a high hill up-pour, which was very soon as "fly mountain" in all mouth.

Altogether Otto Lilienthal in its life built at least 21 flight apparatuses, under it also flapping of wings apparatuses. 1894 went one this gliding flight witness, the normal sail apparatus in such a way specified, into series production. Starting from 1895 it flew two different double-deckers with 5,5 to 7 m span and 25 m bearing area. Starting from 1893 it designed also flapping of wings drives with carbonic acid engine. A new large flapping of wings apparatus was 1896 testing, was used however no longer.

Resonance

By lectures in the association for the promotion of the Luftschiffahrt, publications in the magazine for Luftschiffahrt and physics of the atmosphere, and the magazine Prometheus, press releases and photographies of the flights was Lilienthal now extremely admits become. Numerous ones in and foreign visitors came to Berlin, in order to regard the flights. Ludwig Boltzmann and Octave Chanute wanted to experience the test results in detail. Particularly to emphasize is Nikolai Jegorowitsch Schukowski, which came 1895 to Berlin and participated in the flight exercises. Into a magazine essay it wrote: "The most important invention of the last years in the area of aviation is the flight apparatus of German engineer Otto Lilienthal."

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