KRONFELD ON GLIDING AND SOARING.pdf - Lakes Gliding Club

THE LEAN YEARS 71
In the year 1923, soaring flight freed itself from its
dependence upon the Rhon, and became popular in many
hill districts of Germany. But everyone was greatly
surprised when the East Prussian Flying Association
ventured to announce a Soaring Competition in Rossitten,
which was carried out in spite of many difficulties.
Such spectacular achievements as those of the Rhon
were not to be expected here. But the East Prussian,
Ferdinand Schulz, an elementary school teacher, had
demonstrated that soaring was feasible over low sandhills.
Like the brothers Wright, whose work he may be said to
have continued, he started from dunes, the greatest height
of which does not exceed two hundred feet, and flew along
them. He remained in the air for six minutes and attained
an elevation of a hundred feet above his starting point.
In order rightly to appreciate his feat, it must be remembered
that his machines were primitive in the extreme. He
had built them himself, without suitable material, and
overcame their technical deficiencies by his marvellous
skill and tenacity.
Experiments were also made with a sea-glider, but the
results were unsatisfactory. The important thing was the
recognition of the district as good flying country, for the
noteworthy successes achieved at Rossitten in later years were
undoubtedly built up on the experiences of this first meeting.
Before the end of the year a flying meeting took place in
England which clearly demonstrated the practical side of
soaring, although the meeting was originally arranged for
the purpose of promoting the development of aeroplanes
with light engines. It proved a complete success, some
marvellous results being obtained with machines carrying
motor-cycle engines of from ten to 20 h.p. In certain
machines, as for example the Handley Page aeroplanes,
it was easy to trace the direct results of soaring flight ;
they were, in fact, merely soaring planes with an auxiliary
engine. In other types, too, the influence of the experience
gained from the designing and building of soaring machines
was clearly visible. Great progress was made in the designs
for lightly built machines, while considerable improvement
was noted in steering gear.