Please select the choice or choices you would like to see:

[Bob Kuczewski]

Notice - I added Neil's suggestion (#9) and that reset the poll ... Please vote again.

This is a preliminary poll to see what we like. It's not official in any way. Please use this topic to suggest additional wordings as well and I'll try to add them to the poll as we go. The goal of this poll will be to help guide the group in coming up with the final wording.

I've tried to pull together all the candidates from the other topics, but please post here if I've left anything out or if you have new suggestions. This forum has somewhat limited formatting, but we can use font size or bolding to get a sense of what words deserve emphasis. I've done that with one of the options, so please let me know if you'd like any of the others reformatted as well (I didn't want to do any formatting without permission of the originators). Any comments and discussions are welcome here as well.

Also, I'm new to using polls, so please bear with me if we have any problems. I've initially set it up so you can choose any number of options (choose all the ones that you like), and I've also set it up so you can go back and change your votes as well. Please post any comments or other suggestions to this topic.

Here are the candidates:

Candidate 1:
To commemorate
the
Otto Lilienthal Universal Hang Glider Championships
& 123rd Birthday Anniversary Party
of
Sunday May 23rd 1971
on this hill establishing on that day
the modern sport of hang gliding

Candidate 2:
This hill
in Newport Beach City
on May 23, 1971:
the modern renaissance
of sport hang gliding
was born.

Candidate 3:
On this hill
in Newport Beach City
on May 23, 1971:
the modern renaissance
of sport hang gliding
was born.

Candidate 4:
From this hill
in Newport Beach City
on May 23, 1971:
the modern renaissance
of
sport hang gliding
was born.

Candidate 5:
From this hill
in Newport Beach City
on May 23, 1971:
the modern renaissance
of sport hang gliding
was launched.

Candidate 6:
The Modern Sport of Hang Gliding
Was Established on This Hill
at the
Great First Annual Universal Hang Glider
Championships & 123rd Otto Lilienthal
Anniversary Birthday Celebration
of May 23rd 1971

Candidate 7:
On - May 23 1971 - From this Hill
Hang Gliding as a Modern Sport
Was Established Here at the First
Great Universal
Hang Glider Championships
Celebrating
Otto Lilienthal's 123rd Birthday

Candidate 8:
On May 23rd 1971, the Modern Sport of
Hang Gliding
was Launched from this Site during the
First Hang Glider Championships
and 123rd Birthday Celebration of
Otto Lilienthal

Candidate 9:
Commemoration of this Hill
May 23 1971
The Great Universal Hang Glider
Championships & Celebration of
Otto Lilienthal's 123rd Birthday
the Sport of Hang Gliding
Began Here

[Neil Larson]

After due considerations -
I propose an 9th draft of wording -
sorry but since we have gone this fsr it seems short sighted not to seek the best articulation for this historic marker, and I have rendered this in a digital granite format for viewing



I think all suggestions must be weighed as possible-
The marker will be set in stone so to speak-
A poorly written “glyph” will be poorly written for many years to come –
To abbreviate the notation over concern of cost would be an injustice to
All those who we know who have taken wings & gone on to higher places-
My wish is to leave a honorable & fitting tribute to the legacy we have lived.
Neil Larson -

[Bob Kuczewski]

Ooops ...

I added the new option from Neil's post above and found that all the poll votes disappeared.

Sorry for anyone who has voted already.

Everyone, please vote again. Also note that you can revise your vote any time.

[Bob Kuczewski]

I think all suggestions must be weighed as possible-
The marker will be set in stone so to speak-
A poorly written “glyph” will be poorly written for many years to come –
To abbreviate the notation over concern of cost would be an injustice to
All those who we know who have taken wings & gone on to higher places-
My wish is to leave a honorable & fitting tribute to the legacy we have lived.
Neil Larson -

I agree with you Neil. We should try to get it right.

Please pardon my ignorance, but for clarification, what was the exact wording of the title of that event?

Thanks.

[Neil Larson]

The Great Universal Hang Glider Championships Celebrating Otto Lilienthal's 123rd Birthday Anniversary -
actually in preceding issues of Low & Slow the "name" or "title" of the event was expanded -it first appeared simply as Otto Lilienthal’s 123rd Birthday party
So the exact Title actually appeared to MORPH in each printed publication.
I do not have a copy n front of me of the Soaring with the ad in it -

There is discussion as to the wording -I agree previous men had taken flight in the past-
several FACTS stand out here at May23rd 1971 -
IT WAS A JUDGED & SCHEDULED EVENT WITH MULTIPLE SHIPS & MULTIPLE PILOTS IT WAS A SPORT COMPETITION PUBLICIZED EVENT - WITH CATAGORIES ANNOUNCED –

That is why I use the term Sport Hang Gliding .
Never before had this occurred - a sport of men competing to achieve performance over others. One man launching aka Wright glider at Kitty Hawk , may have been looked on by someone as sport But for most early flyers of HG - pre-1971 event - the competition with awards & certificates handed out had never been previously arranged ... Thus Began The Sport of Hang Gliding- Not the flight of hang gliders , or the testing of flying machines -
or the public display of a hang glider to the public...

the May 23 1971 EVENT - stands alone as Joe Faust wrote after the meet -
There will never again be another - there can never be another -
First Great Universal Hang Glider Championship-
Also it was discussed on that hill by Jack Lambie & others -
that they understood that day marked the beginning and several others there all became aware of the VISION
that after that event , the organized "sport of hang gliding" would commence in a growing fashion. That is what was so very mystical & profound about Joe Faust's revelation of visionary man flight , to give the event a grand larger than life title anticipating
the soon future birth of the "SPORT of HG" which began on that day ...not on any previous day in human history... if someone will bring me into knowledge of another such sport event pre-dating this one I will concede the issue -
and forget about the project ...
but i sort of think not-

NOTICE THE WORDING HERE ON A CERTIFICATE FROM THE DAYS EVENT -
THE TITLE HAD SEVERAL COPIOUS CORRECT NAMES -DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU HAPPEN TO READ-
WHICH ADDS A BIT OF WHIMSY TO THIS SERIOUS PLATFORM DISCUSSION , KNOWING THE MORE IS REVEALED ABOUT THE MEN WHO "ORGANIZED" IT , WE MUST ADMIT THEY LEFT A MARGINE OF VAUGENNESS

[Neil Larson]

The use of the word 'MODERN" in describing this issue is very interesting since by including "SPORT" in the term the essence of the description is made . There was never an ancient Sport of Hang Gliding , however De Vinci & Icarus left their (myth) mark on culture & science & history. The simple association of the "OTTO MEET " with previous patented testing of hang glider / man flight devices down through time can be made -Yes.
But the significant differences that separate & set apart the "OTTO MEET" from other earlier events is clear.

1)- publicized / published invitation
2)- multiple flying machines
3)- documented certificates of award for performance etc
4)- a wholesome competitive spirit between qualifiers
5)- a common knowledge by the confirmation of general agreement (after 40 years of elapsed time) that the May 23rd 1971 Newport Beach Hang Glider Championships set a benchmark in the overall historic timeline of aviation progress.


This Landmark Project is not meant to scuttle or highjack or re-write true history.

This project is undertaken with the evidence of nearly half a century of confirmation.
We seek to give proper homage & dignity to the aforementioned event regarding the time the place & the people who actually took part either by participation or by witness to the "SPORT HANG GLIDING" experienced that day.

When Colonel Yeager flew the X15 at Mach 1 in the California desert , his achievement was not listed in any "SPORT" almanacs , but the Schneider Cup Races of 1913 through 1931 were listed as SPORT Aviation competition. There has always been a distinction between testing for research & the gathering of mankind to celebrate a "SPORT"- The " OTTO MEET " can then be allowed to be recognized by history as the beginning of SPORT HANG GLIDING without the prefix of adding the word MODERN.

[Neil Larson]

In the best interest of all - here is a DO OVER

[JoeF]

Carving from Neil Larson's basis,
a further tweaked offer:

Off this hill
on
23 May 1971
people foot launched to fly
at the
First Annual Great
Universal Hang Glider Championships
celebrating
Otto Lilienthal's 123rd birthday,
sparking a
persistent renaissance
in world sport hang gliding.

[JoeF]

Early in 1900s, for one, Harvard University had pre-announced gliding event with a division for foot-launchers. It was publicized. Competition was slated and performed. Recognition for place was given. Such was important in the growth of aeronautics and gliding. Harvard's Squantum field in 1911.



"The very first wave of collegiate interest in gliders started around 1909, and resulted most notably in the first Intercollegiate Glider Meet, hosted by Harvard on Memorial Weekend, May 28-30, 1911. The contest was sanctioned by the newly-incorporated "Intercollegiate Aeronautical Association", founded by a Penn graduate student. At that time, aeronautics was just emerging as an academic discipline out of naval or mechanical engineering, and student laboratory work was at the cutting edge of research. Since engines were prohibitively expensive and time-consuming, the focus was building airframes for gliding. The IAA recognized two categories of flying machine, "body-control" (hang-glider) and "mechanical-control" (sailplane). Glide ratio was the prime figure-of-merit at Harvard's Squantum field in 1911, and the host had built an elaborate swiveling ramp from which competitors could consistently launch into the wind. MIT brought the biggest team, made the largest number of flights, and was the winner of the body-control class. Tufts won the more prestigious mechanical-control class, and the Cornell glider was judged the most promising and well-made design (it looked much like a 1912 Curtiss pusher with no engine)." Source of clip: [urlhttp://www.coloradosoaring.org/ssa/coll/hist.htm]HERE [/url] Photos, anyone?

Intercollegiate Aeronautical Association of America
Collection, 1910 - 1913
George Atwell Richardson
First president of the IAAA http://www.archives.upenn.edu/faids/ups/ups503.html

"During his years at Penn, Richardson gave popular lectures about aeronautics at various colleges, universities and other places including the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. His illustrated lectures included lantern slides and moving picture footage of the making and flying of various types of flying machines."

http://www.archives.upenn.edu/faids/ups/ups503guide.pdf Anyone near to research this?

Related: http://tinyurl.com/Harvardgliding
and http://oasis.lib.harvard.edu/oasis/deliver/~hua06008

http://www.energykitesystems.net/Lift/2010/2010novLIFTpage10.html

[Bob Kuczewski]

I left San Diego at 10:30 last night (11th) and I got very little sleep on the plane. So please pardon my comments here if they're not clear...

I've seen the title "First Annual Great Universal Hang Glider Championships" for the meet. My first question, given the words "First Annual" is whether there were additional "Great Universal Hang Glider Championship" events held in subsequent years? Did it go by "Second Annual Great Universal Hang Glider Championships"?

Also, a title like that sounds a bit "over the top" to my ears. Maybe that was the original intention (tongue in cheek), but I'm not sure if that will get through to anyone reading the plaque. I also like the comment regarding Otto Lilienthal. I wasn't there, but I expect his birthday was more of an excuse than a cause for the meet. So while we'd all like to honor him, should his name figure as prominently as we've been using it. Maybe the real event that we're marking is the actual birth of hang gliding and not the precursors to that event.

I'm not saying that we should remove Otto or not (because I'm not sure myself), but it does bear some discussion.