Flight

Gustave Whitehead: Early Aviation Pioneer

Aviation Legislation

ASCI-254

Abstract

Gustave Weisskopf, later known as Gustave Whitehead was one of many early aviation pioneers. However, there is something more to this aviator than what the vast majority of the public realize. He is a German immigrant orphaned by his parents at an early age. He has been known to capture birds and study their wings to get a better grasp of flight. He was known around the schoolyard as “The Flyer.” At the early age of 13 he made his first attempt with the help of his grandmother; although he failed on this attempt, it set a course that will go down in history, or did it? This paper will briefly cover his childhood and the three flights that he is most recognized for.

Gustave Whitehead: Early Aviation Pioneer

Gustave Whitehead was born Gustav Albin Weisskopf in Bavaria, Germany on January 1, 1874. The aviation world was fortunate he was born in the era of aviation exploration. Another famous early aviation pioneer was Otto Lillienthal, and had it not been for this early aviator, there is no telling what Gustave would have got himself into. It was because of Otto that Gustave became so interested, almost obsessed with flying. His school mates nicknamed him “The Flyer” because of his many experiments, some even with parachutes. At one time the police had to intervene in his trapping of birds just so he could study their wings. Gustave Weisskopf was the true leader in aviation. It is believed that he succeeded the Wright brothers in controlled flight years before Kitty Hawk. You can decide for yourself who deserves the title of the first aviator.

The Early Days

At the age of 13, Gustave and his two brothers were orphaned and sent to live with his grandparents. It was here he would attempt his first flight. Gustave got help from his grandmother by having her sew sheets to glider wings he had made. On one moonlit night he jumped from his grandparent’s roof...