Hans Grade Pioneer of German aviation Date of Birth: 17.05.1879 Country: Germany

Biography of Hans Grade

Hans Grade was born in 1879 in Köslin, Germany. He is recognized as a pioneer of German aviation for being the builder of the first successful flying aircraft in the country. In 1909, Grade achieved a significant milestone by completing a flight on his own triple-decker plane, which he had been working on since 1907.

Grade's aircraft, named 'Grade Personenkraftwagen' (PkW), had a fuselage with a cockpit that could accommodate two people. The surface area of the wings was approximately 25-30 square meters, with a takeoff weight of 125 kg and an engine power of 30 horsepower (according to other sources, 24-25 horsepower). The legendary first flight took place on October 30, 1909, in Magdeburg. Grade's aircraft, with its wings extended almost in a straight line and high undercarriages, successfully took off, captivating the audience. As a result of this achievement, Grade won the prestigious Lanz Prize, which included a reward of 40,000 Reichsmarks for the first German pilot to complete a flight of at least 2.5 kilometers following an eight-shaped trajectory on a purely German-designed aircraft.

Grade's aircraft design featured a propeller, which acted as a cooling fan and rotated at the front end of the crankshaft. On the other side of the crankshaft, a large flywheel rotated. The shaft with a friction clutch was covered with thick leather, and there were no gear wheels or worm mechanisms in the transmission and steering systems. The brake in the 'Personenkraftwagen' was a belt that tightened around the flywheel, with a chain connecting it to one of the rear wheels. Although the design was remarkably simple, it had several significant drawbacks, such as the need for exceptional skill to control the steering and the engine's tendency to overheat.

In 1910, Grade established an aviation school. However, his career in German aviation was cut short after World War I when he found himself out of favor. In 1921, he founded the automobile company 'Grade Automobilwerke AG' and ceased designing airplanes. The company produced small two-seater cars, but Grade still made some contributions to the German aviation industry.

On May 14, 1939, Grade made his second flight since 1909 on his original monoplane. He flew approximately 550 meters at the Berlin Tempelhof Airport, celebrating his 60th birthday. Hans Grade passed away in 1946 at the age of 67.

Today, the Hans Grade Museum is located in Borkheide, Germany. This unique museum is housed inside an IL-18 aircraft and showcases Grade's achievements and contributions to aviation history.