Flying Man

Markus Raffel (*1962) is Professor of Aerodynamics at Leibniz University of Hanover and Head of the Department of Helicopters at the Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology at DLR, the German Aerospace Center. He started at DLR in 1991, working in the field of experimental aerodynamics. He has published over 150 journal and conference papers, and is the leading author of the widely distributed textbook “Particle Image Velocimetry”, about the most common optical flow diagnostic technique today. After a short flying course with glider aircraft, he obtained his private pilot certificate and flies single-engine and light-sport aircraft in Europe and the US. After practicing hang gliding in France and California, he built an authentic replica of Otto Lilienthal’s patented monoplane and was the first pilot to fly it since Otto Lilienthal’s deadly crash in 1896.Bernd Lukasch (*1954) studied physics in Berlin and worked in the experimental department “atomic collisions in solid state physics”, where he received his doctorate in 1984. In 1988, he took on the task of founding a museum dedicated to Otto Lilienthal. It was opened in 1991. Lukasch took over the management of the museum in 1992 and remained its director until 2019. Under his leadership the museum was awarded the title “National Memorial” by the State Minister for Culture and Media of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the title “European Museum of the Year Award – Special Commendation” by the European Museum Forum. In 2005 Bernd Lukasch  published a biography about both Lilienthal brothers (“Erfinderleben” - inventors’ lives) and is also author or editor of numerous publications in popular and history journals.

• The beginning of an era.- The skies over Pomerania.- From a poor student to good scholar.- Bed lodger – engineer – manufacturer.- Life goal: inventor.- From the dream of flight to aerodynamics.- From theory to flying apparatus.- 1891 – the leap into a new century.- Captured in mid-air.- Modelled after a bat – the path to serially produced aircraft.- Practical flying – training and records.- An engine – again inspired by birds.- The Fliegeberg – a real airfield.- Flying machine customers and flight students.- More difficult than anticipated: steering.- A rich idea: the biplane.- Unfinished ideas and August 9, 1896.- To fly is everything – Lilienthal 125 years later.