Otto Lilienthal, born on May 23, 1848, in Anklam, Prussia (now Germany), is widely regarded as the first person to make controlled, sustained flights with a glider.
Lilienthal conducted extensive research on the principles of flight and developed numerous glider designs. He based his designs on the study of bird flight and utilized a curved wing shape, known as camber, to generate lift. Lilienthal made over 2,000 flights with his gliders between 1891 and 1896.
By carefully observing the behavior of his gliders during flight, Lilienthal made significant contributions to the understanding of aerodynamics and control. He documented his findings in books and articles, including his influential work "Birdflight as the Basis of Aviation" published in 1889.
Tragically, Lilienthal's career came to an abrupt end on August 9, 1896, when he crashed during a glider flight in Berlin. The impact caused a severe spinal injury, and he died the next day at the age of 48.
Despite his untimely death, Otto Lilienthal's contributions laid the foundation for future aviation pioneers like the Wright brothers. His experiments and insights into glider flight significantly influenced the development of powered aircraft and helped shape the field of aviation as we know it today.
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