Gliders—The Early Years Figure 1-1.  A human-powered ornithopter is virtually incapable of flight due to its poor strength-to-weight ratio. Figure 1-2.  Otto Lilienthal (May 23, 1848–August 10, 1896) was a  German pioneer of human aviation. Cayley. Newspapers and magazines published photographs  of Lilienthal gliding, favorably influencing public and  scientific opinion about the possibility of flying machines  becoming practical.  By the early 1900s, the famed Wright Brothers were  experimenting with gliders and gliding flight in the hills  Otto Lilienthal was a German pioneer of human flight who  became known as the Glider King.  [Figure 1-2]  He was the  first person to make well-documented, repeated, successful  gliding flights beginning in 1891.  [Figure 1-3]  He followed  an experimental approach established earlier by Sir George  The fantasy of flight led people to dream up intricate designs  in an attempt to imitate the flight of birds. Leonardo da Vinci  sketched a vision of flying machines in his 15th century  manuscripts. His work consisted of a number of wing designs  including a human-powered ornithopter, the name derived  from the Greek word for bird. Centuries later, when others  began to experiment with his designs, it became apparent that  the human body could not sustain flight by flapping wings like  birds.  [Figure 1-1]  The dream of human flight continued to  capture the imagination of many, but it was not until 1799  when Sir George Cayley, a Baronet in Yorkshire, England,  conceived a craft with stationary wings to provide lift, flappers  to provide thrust, and a movable tail to provide control.  The Glider Flying Handbook is designed to aid pilots  in achieving their goals in aviation and to provide the  knowledge and practical information needed to attain private,  commercial, and flight instructor category ratings for gliders.  This handbook, in conjunction with the Pilot’s Handbook of  Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25 (as revised), is a  source of basic knowledge for certification as a glider pilot  and instructor. There are numerous other commercial sources  available to the pilot for reference that should be obtained  for additional information. 1-2