Albrecht Berblinger’s Hang Glider

Illustration of Albrecht Berblinger’s hang glider design, which he tested in public on 30 May 1811. The design consisted of two large teardrop-shaped wings and a small tail. The glider was controlled by the pilot’s arms, and Berblinger made successful test-flights with the machine in the hills outside Ulm, Germany.

Albrecht Berblinger was a German tailor from Ulm, who is best known for designing a hang glider in 1811. He was the seventh child of a poor family, and from an early age he was interested in mechanics and watch-making. When he was 13, his father died and he was sent to an orphanage, where he was forced into an apprenticeship as a tailor. He was a tinkerer in his spare time, however, and after becoming a master tailor he became interested in human flight.

He began developing a flying machine despite threats from the guild of tailors that he could use his position on the guild for his outside work. He ignored these threats and eventually put all his income into the process, and after many experiments and test flights, he had designed a hang glider capable of short flights.

The hang glider design consisted of two large wings, each of which was held up by one of his arms. The wings were shaped like large teardrops, and they were stiffened by a system of tensile members connected to a vertical rod that cut through the center of each wing. The frame was made of ‘Indian cane’, which is most likely bamboo. There was a tail element between and behind the wings, which appears in the top view, but not the front view of the design. It must’ve been attached to the pilot’s back in some way. The design is remarkably similar to another design for a flying machine by Jakob Degens, who by no small coincidence was a Swiss watchmaker. Degens made public demonstrations of his design around the same time in Vienna and Paris, to the delight of the public. Berblinger’s first and only public demonstration didn’t go so well, however.

Berblinger had success testing his machine in the hills outside Ulm, using vineyard cottages and walls as his launch points. Contemporary studies show that these hills have favorable conditions for glider experiments, which no doubt gave the inventor confidence in his machine. He decided to make a public demonstration on 30 May 1811 by flying across the Danube River. His launch point was from a spot along the city walls where he built a wooden scaffolding, putting him around 10 meters, or 33 feet, above the water.

Illustration of Albrecht Berblinger’s public demonstration of his hang glider design on the banks of the Danube river in Ulm Germany in 1811. The attempt was unsuccessful due to unfavorable conditions at the Danube River, and it destroyed Berblinger’s public image.

He timed his attempt to coincide with a visit from King Frederick I of Württemberg to Ulm, and the king did indeed attend the event. Unfortunately, Berblinger called off the flight for an unknown reason, but it was most likely because he didn’t find the conditions favorable. The king subsequently left town, but a few of his entourage stayed to witness a second attempt the following day. The change of day made no difference, however, and after delaying the attempt for hours, an impatient policeman allegedly gave the inventor a push, which sent him falling to the river below. Pictured above is an illustration of the event, which destroyed Berblinger’s public image and sent him into hiding.

More recent studies have proven that the launch point he chose created terrible conditions for a flight attempt, since the cool temperatures of the river produce downdrafts, making it quite difficult to generate enough lift for a sustained flight. Berblinger was unaware of this, of course, which is why the result is so unfortunate. He had successfully flown his glider many times before, so his machine did indeed work; he just chose the wrong launch point for his demonstration. Sadly, his reputation never recovered and he died penniless and poor when he was 58 years old.

The story of Albrecht Berblinger is a tragic tale, but he has since been vindicated. His design has been proven to glide successfully, and his accomplishments have since been rightfully honored by the city of Ulm. He has taken his place in the history of human flight, and he’s one of many examples of individuals who have taken huge risks in the pursuit of human flight.

Read more about other ideas for flying machines here.