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At the San Miguel public park in Newport Beach, California on May 23rd 2011
In tribute to & celebration of the 163rd birthday of Otto Lilienthal, & the 40th Anniversary Celebrating
the birth of worldwide sport hang gliding will be celebrated at noon,
there will be some personal flight enthusiasts recalling the birth of worldwide sport hang gliding
an event which took place on the Pacific hill side 40 years ago on May 23, 1971.
The now Historic 1971 “Happening” which has become known as the Great Universal Hang Glider Championships has become the pivotal event marking the beginning of a persistent growth in the individual human flight sport known as hang gliding. The event of 1971 was featured on the front page of the May 24th Monday morning edition of the Los Angeles Times, recalled later also by a Daily Pilot's reporter as a singular important gathering of hang gliders, & birdmen along with hundreds of spectators, & local residents. National Geographic also featured the event in an article for the world. This is a Benchmark event in the local history of Newport Beach, Orange County & California. It has become an important focal point on the timeline of human aviation as well.
Now some 40 years on… In 2011 the celebration of the 163rd birthday of Otto Lilienthal and the 40th anniversary for the birth of worldwide sport hang gliding will be celebrated at noon, Monday, May 23, 2011.
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It is suspected that some people from various sectors of contemporary hang gliding will be present to enjoy the honoring of this historic event.
The gathering on May23rd 2011 will include aircraft builders & pilots of hang gliders that flew that day, & witnesses, to the original Otto Lilienthal’s 123rd Birthday Party of 1971 .
An engraved granite marker stone will be presented to someone of Newport Beach community, As a humble token to the local residents that their community was the location of the very first competitive (multiple entries) hang glider meet. Up until that day, there had never been such a gathering of personal aircraft assembled & flown at one location. The Inscribed Marker Stone is being presented with the hope the City of Newport Beach will permanently display the stone in a conspicuous place on San Miguel Park, to bring recognition of this event. Over the 40 years Hang Gliding has proven to become a very significant recreational Sport, the people of Newport Beach should be proud of such auspicious heritage.
All Media – is encouraged to take advantage of this commemoration of the birth of hang gliding.
The gathering of hang glider enthusiasts on this hillside has not happened here since that day on May 23 1971-
As this event draws closer it is possible nationwide media coverage will provide public exposure of the day’s event.
A photograph of a poster of a year 2000 reunion of hang gliders will be viewable.
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