Klaus Holighaus
Encyclopedia
Klaus Holighaus was a glider designer
, glider pilot
and entrepreneur
.
Klaus Holighaus was born in Eibelshausen
, Germany
. He started his career in gliding when he was an engineering student at the University of Darmstadt
, where he was a member of its Akaflieg
. Fellow students Gerhard Waibel and Wolf Lemke
had already developed the revolutionary D-36 glider and he contributed to its refinement. He joined Schempp-Hirth
as an employee in 1965. He became Chief Executive in 1972 and from 1977 Holighaus was the sole owner of the business. He produced some outstandingly successful designs from the Schempp-Hirth Cirrus
through to the Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4
.
Holighaus flew in every German National Championship from 1968, winning six times in the Open Class. He became European Champion three times and finished in the top rankings of the nine World Championships in which he competed. He held 16 World Records in various categories.
Holighaus was killed in the area of St. Gotthard when flying in the Alps
from Samedan
, Switzerland
. The wreckage was not discovered for two days. The cause of the accident is not clear, but a possible factor was the deteriorating weather on the day and he may have unsuccessfully tried to cross a mountain pass. He had logged 8,168 hours in gliders.
He married Brigitte. His son, Tilo, continues the Schempp-Hirth business.
Glider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
, glider pilot
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
.
Klaus Holighaus was born in Eibelshausen
Eschenburg
Eschenburg is a community in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis in Hesse, Germany. The community inherited its name from nearby Eschenburg mountain.-Geography:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He started his career in gliding when he was an engineering student at the University of Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
, where he was a member of its Akaflieg
Akaflieg
Akaflieg is an abbreviation for Akademische Fliegergruppe, an academic group of pilots in pre and postwar Germany.-History:Otto Lilienthal published his book Der Vogelflug als Grundlage der Fliegekunst in 1889. This described the basics of modern aerodynamics and aircraft construction...
. Fellow students Gerhard Waibel and Wolf Lemke
Wolf Lemke
Wolf Lemke is a designer of gliders who worked for Rolladen Schneider and after it was taken over in 2003, for DG Flugzeugbau GmbH.He was one of the student members of the Akaflieg Darmstadt who designed the revolutionary D-36 "Circe". This team also included Heiko Fries, Klaus Holighaus and...
had already developed the revolutionary D-36 glider and he contributed to its refinement. He joined Schempp-Hirth
Schempp-Hirth
Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH is a glider manufacturer based in Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany.-History:Martin Schempp founded his own company in Göppingen in 1935, with the assistance of Wolf Hirth. The company was initially called "Sportflugzeugbau Göppingen Martin Schempp"...
as an employee in 1965. He became Chief Executive in 1972 and from 1977 Holighaus was the sole owner of the business. He produced some outstandingly successful designs from the Schempp-Hirth Cirrus
Schempp-Hirth Cirrus
|-See also:-References:* Selinger P, Segelflugzeuge vom Wolf aum Discus, Motorbuch Verlag Stuttgart, 1989* Ryan J, Cirrus Test Pilot Report, Soaring, July 1967* Foley W, The Schempp-Hirth Cirrus, Soaring, July 1967...
through to the Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4
Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4
The Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4 is a family of high-performance FAI Open Class gliders designed by Klaus Holighaus and manufactured by Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH in Kirchheim, Germany...
.
Holighaus flew in every German National Championship from 1968, winning six times in the Open Class. He became European Champion three times and finished in the top rankings of the nine World Championships in which he competed. He held 16 World Records in various categories.
Holighaus was killed in the area of St. Gotthard when flying in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
from Samedan
Samedan
Samedan is a town and municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.-History:Samedan is first mentioned in 1139 as Samaden. In 1334 it was mentioned as Semeden, in 1367 as Semaden, in 1498 as Sumada and in 1527 as Sameden...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The wreckage was not discovered for two days. The cause of the accident is not clear, but a possible factor was the deteriorating weather on the day and he may have unsuccessfully tried to cross a mountain pass. He had logged 8,168 hours in gliders.
He married Brigitte. His son, Tilo, continues the Schempp-Hirth business.