Karl Wilhelm Otto Lilienthal was a great man in the world`s history despite living for only forty eight years. He was a German pioneer of aviation. His unique ability was depicted when he first made a wonderfully documented and successful gliding flights.
Background
Lilienthal was born on 23rd May 1848 in a province known as Anklam Pomerania in the German kingdom of Prussia. He was a son to Carl Gustav who was a merchant and his mother was Caroline Wilhelmina nee Pohle. Lilienthal came from a middle class family. He was from a large family of eight, unfortunately only three of them managed to live. They included Otto, Gustav and Marie. The two brothers were strongly bonded hence working together in their entire lives. They handled their technical, social and cultural projects together. They believed that unity is strength and valued each other`s opinion.
He was taken to a grammar school and specialized in the study of the flights of birds. The idea of manne flight caught his attention and he mobilized his brother in making strap on wings but they were unsuccessful with their attempts to fly. However Lilienthal was determined to keep trying until his dream became a reality. He trained at the Schwarzkopf Companyafter having schooled for two years in a regional technical school in Potsdam. After becoming a professional design engineer he decided to join the Royal technical academy which is in Berlin.
The financial situation of his family deteriorated from one year to another and they relocated to America where his father died suddenly. Lilienthal was just 12 years of age and his uncle who became his guardian suggested that he should study mechanical engineering, and that is how he joined Royal Technical Academy.Around 1889 he had already published one of his books known as the ‘Bird flight as the basis of aviation’. As the years advanced he met a lovely lady known as Agnes Fischer who was the daughter of a deputy. Agnes was passionate about music and Lilienthal considered her a good partner due to his love to play the French horn. Agnes trained in piano and voice. With her beauty and talent she struck Lilienthal. In that case he could not help falling in love. They exchanged their vows and thereafter took up residence in Berlin. They later gave birth to four children which included Otto, Anna, Frida and Fritz.
Actually during industrial revolution ideas pertaining human flights were highly detested. But Otto did not pay any attention to the social stigma pertaining flying machine investors. In that case he dedicated himself to the study of aerodynamic forces and design concepts. His intention was to design a manned flight.
He had 20 patents for his machine designs and four for the aviation devices throughout his life time. Even as a professional design engineer he was highly passionate about aerospace studies. In fact he started to experiment aerodynamics and human flight while he was still an engineer student. His experiments were quite helpful to those who desired to fly. Otto was a flexible man for he volunteered to participate to serve for a whole year in the Prussian military. This was when the Franco-Prussian war became uncontrollable. He left his studies and and his career to join the fight. But in 1871 he was released from the military after which he was employed as a mechanical engineer in Berlin at a Weber company. One year later he became a construction engineer at C. Hoppe machine factory. He was quite hardworking for he managed to work for those two companies until 1880.
After tireless persistence he founded a boiler factory the following year that dealt with machines of his own design. He developed pulleys, sirens, among other apparatuses. In addition he started a profit-sharing program for his factory workers. That happened in 1890. He excelled in designing planes due to his special focus on the shape of the wings in advancing his designs.
Education
As a young boy Lilienthal went to a grammar school and started to study the flight of his birds. Thrilled by the idea of manned flight. He and his brother decided to make an attempt to make strap on wings. Unfortunately they failed. He later joined the regional technical school which was in Potsdam. He spent two years in that school after which he started training at the Schwarzkopf Company. After completing the training he became a professional engineer. As the years advanced he joined the royal technical Academy which is located in Berlin. During his years in school he still did some experiments on aerodynamics and human flight which was of great help to those who aspired to fly. Lilienthal spent a considerable number of years in school. But through trial and error he made his dream a reality.
Career
Lilienthal flying Career was in fact very short. But despite everything he came up with twelve models of monoplanes, wing flapping aircraft as well as two biplanes. He flights were very stable due to the carefully designed gliders in order to evenly distribute weight. Actually he manipulated them by changing the center of gravity and shifting his body, similar to modern hang gliders. But they were hard to maneuver and they would pitch down. As a result recovering was very hard. His only mistake was the fact that he held the glider by his shoulders instead of hanging from it similar to a modern hang glider. However he made as many attempts as possible until he started making some progress, For instance he made a biplane which halved the wing span for a given wing area.
Lilienthal was dying to fly and he mobilized his brother and together they joined the Aeronautical society of the Great Britain around 1873.In fact they were quite sorry that German did not have such an organization. Lilienthal held his first lecture at the Aeronautical society. He talked about his observations and theories about bird flights as the foundation or basis of aviation. He made occasional lectures. He later joined a Berlin-based navigation group, a German club for promotion of Airship Navigation.
He gave more three lectures pertaining ‘The Energy Involved in Bird Flight’. This was around 1888 and 1889. In addition he lectured to a Prussian business society on ‘The Flight of Birds And Humans Through the warmth of the sun” After spending eight years maneuvering his aircraft designs through thin air, he decided to publish a book known as the ‘The carrying capacity of Arched surfaces in sailing flights. In addition he published his book ‘Bird flight as a basis of Aviation’. In it he described the details of the flight physics. In 1911 this book was translated into English language.
Lilienthal submitted a patent on a machine used in mining. This was his first patent among the twenty five, this was in the year 1877. Six years later he founded his own mechanical engineering company for steam boilers and engines in Berlin.
Lilienthal also worked as a lecturer. He conducted his first lecture at the Aeronautical society. He taught about his observations and theories pertaining bird flights as the basis of aviation. He also gave a series of three lectures pertaining “The flight of birds and humans through the warmth of the sun” in the year 1888 and 1889. He was lecturing to a Prussian Business society.
At one time he worked in the military. During this time he abandoned his work and studies and joined the military when the Franco- Prussian war became uncontrollable. He offered to serve in the military for one year after which he was discharged in 1871.
Achievements
Works
Other Work
Lilienthal was an all-round person who engaged himself in various works during his life time. As an engineer he began construction of several flying machines. Among his machines he had made a flapping wing machine that was driven by a carbonic-acid engine. He also build a ‘fliegeberg’ (Aviation Hill) that he could use for training and experimenting of new aircraft. The Aviation Hill was closer to his home and factory. In the year 1894 he started a serial production of a Normal glider. In addition he had made so many gliders.
Religion
He was a staunch Christian since he was brought up in a Christian family. His parents belonged to St. Nikolai Evangelical Church.
Politics
Lilienthal did not involve his life in politics. But he was quite patriotic to an extent he offered to join the military service in defense of his country. And he did not have any record of breaking the law. He was careful to obey all the written laws of two nations in which he belonged.
Views
Lilienthal believed in innovation and hard work. His engineering skills helped to experiment his gliders. He wanted to create a simple and affordable gliders.
Personality
Lilienthal was one of the most innovative man in the world. Despite the number of times he failed in his attempts in designing flight he never lost hope. He could not hold his peace having not created an impact in the aviation industry. He was an affectionate man and peaceful. Enabling him to work in close association with his brother. They were real confidants and shared their social, economic life together. He was a patriotic man since he left his work and studies on grounds of defending his country thus joining the military service for one year. He was an influential teacher who made people believe everything he had written in his manuals. His audience were so passionate to listen to his lectures. In line with that his innovation led him to develop the first flying machine factory in the world. He had so much interest in flights leading to all his research and developments. He also loved music and enjoyed playing the French horn.
Quotes from others about the person
Quote by Otto Lilienthal,
To invent an airplane is nothing. To build one is something. But to fly is everything.
Interests
Aviation, Designing, Writing
Connections
He was a son to Carl Gustav who was a merchant and his mother was Caroline Wilhelmina nee Pohle. Unfortunately his family was faced by financial crises and they went to live in America where his father died. He was born in a family of eight but five died as infants and only three of them surviving, Otto, Gustav and Marie. When he was of age he married Agnes Fischer on June 1878 and they had four children; Otto, Anna, Fritz, and Frida.
Father:
Carl Gustav
Mother:
Caroline Wilhemina née Pohle
Wife:
Agnes Fischer
sibling:
Gustav Lilienthal
sibling:
Marie Lilienthal
References
The man who jumped off Hills; Otto Lilienthal`s Fliegerberg