List of glider pilots

The list of glider pilots is sorted alphabetically.

Here, glider pilots are to be included who have achieved essentials since the beginning of gliding, i.e. since the 1920s, in the form of:

• Have won world gliding championships in the various classes
• Holders of gliding world records in the classes established by the FAI
• Have performed other important services (e.g. first crossing of the Alps or Andes)
• Other important contributions have contributed to the overall development of gliding (literary works, meteorological findings, technical developments).

Contents A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A.

• Sergei Anochin , Soviet Union
• Göran Ax , Sweden , World Champion 1972 Open Class

B.

• Beat Peter Bünzli, Switzerland, multiple world record holder in gliding and motor gliding.
• Siegfried Baumgartl , Germany , two-time Barron Hilton Cup winner, multiple record holder, trainer for the NRW D-Kader
• Paul Bikle , USA , owner of the world altitude record for many years
• Ingrid Blecher , Germany
• Tassilo Bode , Germany, Vice-Gliding World Champion 2008 and European Champion 2000 in the Open Class
• Georg Bollerhey , Germany
• Otto Braeutigam , (1912–1941) Germany
• Georg Brütting , Germany
• Michael Buchthal , Germany, 2008 world glider champion in the standard class

C.

• Janusz Centka , Poland , world champion 1991, 1993 open class
• Marcelle Choisnet-Gohard , France , holder of various world records, 1st woman with Gold-C

D.

• Hans Deutschmann (1911–1942), Germany, first use of lee waves in gliding
• Edgar Dittmar , Germany
• Heini Dittmar (1911–1960), Germany, world record holder in high-altitude flight, winner of the Rhön competition , first crossing of the Alps in gliding
• Wilhelm Düerkop called Salzmann, Germany, glider aerobatic pilot and promoter of glider aerobatics

E.

• Georg Eckle , Germany
• Einar Enevoldson , Norway , co-owner of the world altitude record
• Gottlob Espenlaub , Germany, designer and participant in the Rhön competitions

F.

• Albert Falderbaum , Germany, aerobatic pilot
• Markus Feyerabend , Germany, stunt pilot
• Fritz Fliegauf , Germany, world record for long-term gliding
• Steve Fossett , USA, co-initiator of the Perlan high-altitude project
• Ernst Frowein , Germany, 1952 world champion doubles with Hanna Reitsch
• Ludwig Fuß , Germany, German champion in glider aerobatics 1983, vice world champion in glider aerobatics 1985, world champion in known duty in glider aerobatics in 1985, Bavarian master in glider aerobatics in 1982, 1984, 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1997

G

• Bruno Gantenbrink , Germany, gliding world champion in the 15-meter class in 1989 and multiple German champion
• Adolf (pirate) Gehringer , Switzerland
• Walter Georgii (1888–1968), Germany, professor of meteorology and researcher in the field of gliding
• Hans Glöckl (1928–1988), Germany, multiple German master
• Kurt Götze , Germany, world record for continuous gliding
• Nicholas Goodhart , UK
• Oscar Goudriaan , South Africa , 1991 Open Class World Champion
• Günther Groenhoff (1908–1932), Germany, world record holder in cross-country flight, pioneer of thermal gliding
• Hans-Werner Grosse , Germany, multiple world record holder in distance gliding
• Christine Grote , Germany, Club Class World Champion

H

• Arndt Hovestadt , Germany, 2010 world glider champion in the club class
• Reinhard Haggenmüller , Austria
• Ernst Günter Haase , Germany, 1958 world glider champion in the open class and designer
• Andreas Hämmerle , Austria, 1974 World Cup winner in the 19m class, multiple national champion
• Friedrich Harth (1880–1936), Germany
• Martin Heide , Germany, designer of the ASH 25 , among others
• Karl-Heinz Hinz , Germany
• Wolf Hirth (1900–1959), Germany, participant in the 1st Rhön competition, founder of Akaflieg Stuttgart, designer
• Ludwig Hofmann (aviator) (1912–1979), Germany, Rhön winner 1934, multiple world record holder
• Klaus Holighaus , Germany, multiple German champion and record holder, sailplane designer and manufacturer
• Tilo Holighaus, Germany, record holder in distance gliding, multiple world champion and German champion
• Pit van Husen , Germany
• Heinz Huth , Germany, two-time world glider champion
• Sepp Haggenmüller , Austria, Tyrolean aviation pioneer

J

• Ernst Jachtmann , Germany, owner of the permanent world record, 1943, 55 h 52 min 60 sec with a DFS consecration
• Hans Jacobs , Germany
• Hubert Jänsch , Germany, five times German master in gliding aerobatics
• Richard (Dick) Johnson , USA, long-time owner of track world record

K

• Georgy Kaminski , Russia , glider aerobatic world champion 2005 and 2007
• Sebastian Kawa , Poland, 10-time world champion between 1999 and 2016 and multiple vice world champion in 15 m class, European champion in 18 m class, author
• Jochen von Kalckreuth , Germany, co-developer of alpine gliding and book author
• Ludwig Karch , Germany
• Holger Karow , Germany, World Champion 1999 in Bayreuth (GER), 2003 in Leszno (PL): Open class; also World Champion 2016 in Potchefstroom (ZA): FAI Sailplane Grand Prix Finale (18 m class)
• Max Kegel , Germany, first thunderstorm flight
• Friedrich Kensche , Germany, motor sailor world record
• Heinz Kensche , Germany, sailplane designer
• Mario Kiessling , Germany, Vice-Gliding World Champion 2008, European Champion 2009 Standard Class
• Wolfgang Klemperer , Germany / USA
• Olga Klepikowa , Soviet Union , long-time world record holder (1939–1951) in free range gliding
• Erich Klöckner , Germany, longstanding owner of the world altitude record
• Philipp Königs , Germany
• Paul Krekel , Germany
• Robert Kronfeld (1904–1948), Austria, world record holder for distance gliding
• Joachim Küttner , USA, meteorologist specializing in lee waves, glider patron (Joachim Küttner Prize)
• Josef (Seff) Kunz , Germany, co-organizer of the Rhön competitions, former president of the DAeC, namesake of the Seff-Kunz fund to promote gliding

L.

• Jonas Langenegger , Switzerland , 2018 world champion in advanced glider aerobatics
• Heli Lasch , South Africa , holder of various South African records
• Helmut Laurson , Germany, multiple German and Bavarian master of gliding aerobatics
• George Lee , Great Britain , World Champion 1976, 1978, 1981 Open Class
• Alexander Lippisch , Germany, aircraft designer and former head of the Rhön-Rossitten-Gesellschaft
• Werner Luidolt , Austria, winner of the Barron Hilton Cup 2007/08 15 m racing class, multiple Austrian record holder
• Claude Lopitaux , France , World Champion 1989 Open Class
• Ray Lynskey , New Zealand , 1995 World Champion Open Class

M.

• Angelika Machinek , Germany, multiple German and women's vice world champion
• Jerzy Makula , Poland , world glider aerobatic champion 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1999, European glider aerobatic champion 1998 and 2004
• Mikhail Mamistov , Russia , world glider aerobatic champion 1995 and 1997, European glider aerobatic champion 1996
• Guy Marchand , France , holder of all-time world record
• Viktor Maresch , Austria, national record in long-distance gliding, holder of the FAI badge Gold C with 3 diamonds No. 25
• Paul McCready , USA, 1956 World Champion (Open Class); Inventor of the McCready-Rings as a prerequisite for simple speed-to-fly calculation
• Martha Mendel , Germany, founder of the first German women's glider group; World record holder in continuous gliding
• Werner Meuser , Germany, World Champion 1997 and 2001, German Champion 2009
• George Moffat , USA, World Champion 1970, 1974 Open Class
• Kees Musters , Netherlands

N

• Johannes Nehring , Germany
• Walter Neubert , Germany
• Hans Nietlispach , Switzerland

O

• Klaus Ohlmann , Germany, holder of many world glider records
• Adele Orsi (1928–1998), Italy
• Giorgio Orsi , Italy

P

• Alexandr Panfierov , Russia , 2001 world glider aerobatic champion
• Per Axel (Pelle) Persson , Sweden
• Ernst Gernot Peter , Germany
• Heinz Peters , Germany

Dietmar Poll, 2009 glider aerobatic world champion, 21-time national champion in glider aerobatics in 6 countries, Austria

R.

• Karl Rabeder , co-owner of the world record for cross country flights
• Helmut Reichmann (1941–1992), Germany, world champion 1970 and 1974 (standard class), 1978 (FAI 15m class); Co-initiator of the Barron Hilton Cup
• Hanna Reitsch (1912–1979), Germany
• Ingo Renner , Germany / Australia , world champion 1976 (standard class), 1983, 1985 and 1987 (open class)
• Peter Riedel , Germany
• John Robinson , USA, multiple glider pilot, 1st glider pilot with 3 diamonds for gold C
• Plinio Rovesti (1911–2006), Italy , meteorologist of many Italian national and world championships, explorer of wave flight
• Fritz Rueb , Germany, holder of several world records for motor sailers

S.

• Otto Schäuble , Germany
• Max Schachenmann , Switzerland , multiple Swiss glider master
• Egon Scheibe , Germany, designer and glider manufacturer
• Heinz Scheidhauer , Germany, was the first to fly over the Andes in a glider
• Alexander Schleicher (1901–1968), Germany, sailplane designer and manufacturer
• Alf Schubert , Austria
• Ferdinand Schulz , Germany, multiple world record holder
• Michael Sommer , Germany, three-time world champion in the open class (2006, 2008 and 2010)
• Wolfgang Spate , Germany
• Fritz Stamer , Germany, sailplane designer and flight instructor
• Karl Striedieck , USA, holder of cross-country world records
• Josef Stüper , Germany
• Marek Szufa (1954–2011), Poland, vice world champion in glider aerobatics

T

• Herbert Tilling , Germany, German master in glider aerobatics
• Ferenc Toth, Hungary , world glider aerobatic champion 2003, European glider aerobatic champion 2000 and 2006
• Helmut Driver , Germany

U

• Oskar Ursinus , Germany

V

• Alfred Vogt , Germany, designer a. a. the Lo 100

W.

• Gerhard Waibel , Germany, sailplane designer
• Fred Weinholtz , Germany
• Philip Wills , Great Britain , co-founder of the British gliding movement
• Harro Wödl , Austria, World Champion 1968 open class
• Jan Wróblewski , Poland, World Champion 1965 Open class with standard class glider SZD-24 "Foka 4"

Z

• Hans Zacher (1912–2003), Germany: especially scientific measurements of flight characteristics
• Rudolf Ziegler , Germany
• Claus-Dieter Zink (1940–2010), Germany, glider pilot and photographer (glider photo calendar)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Pilot World Ranking. In: igcrankings.fai.org. Retrieved May 3, 2016 .