Thomas L. Knauff (1938 – February 21, 2024) was an American writer, glider pilot,

flight instructor A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to operate aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate ...

, former

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(FAA) Designated Pilot Examiner, and a member of the U.S.

Soaring Hall of Fame The Soaring Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made the highest achievements in, or contributions to, the sport of gliding, soaring in the United States of America. It has been located at the National Soaring Museum in Elmira, New York, s ...

. He was an early pioneer of

ridge soaring __NOTOC__ Ridge lift (or slope lift) is created when a wind strikes an obstacle, usually a mountain ridge or cliff, that is large and steep enough to deflect the wind upward. If the wind is strong enough, the ridge lift provides enough upward f ...

in the

Ridge-and-valley Appalachians The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands division. The physiographic province is divided into three se ...

in the 1960s, ultimately setting five world records flying gliders there. He was the stunt pilot in the 1999 film '' The Thomas Crown Affair''. Knauff was the first glider pilot to fly 750 km and 1000 km triangle course flights in the

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, and was the first to fly 1000 km with a passenger. His 1,647 km (1,023 mi) out-and-return flight in 1983 was the world's longest glider flight at the time, stood as a world record for nearly 20 years, and is still a U.S. national record. He has set more than 50 other U.S. National soaring records. His glider flight training manuals, ''Glider Basics from First Flight to Solo'' and ''Glider Basics from Solo to License'' are the most popular in the U.S., and he is still one of the most respected glider flight instructors in the world despite his death in February 2024. He was one of the few FAA designated pilot examiners authorized to issue initial flight instructor certificates. Knauff lived near

State College State College is a borough and home rule municipality in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a college town, home to the University Park campus of The Pennsylvania State University. State College is the largest designated borou ...

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with his wife Doris Grove, another hall of fame glider pilot. They owned and operated the

Ridge Soaring Gliderport Ridge Soaring Gliderport was a public-use Glider (sailplane), glider airport located two nautical miles (4 km) southwest of the central business district of Unionville, Centre County, Pennsylvania, Unionville, in Centre County, Pennsylvan ...

Julian, Pennsylvania Julian ( ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) that is located in Huston Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The popula ...

which they founded in 1975 (closed 2022). Knauff died on February 21, 2024, at the age of 85.

World glider records

Knauff has set the following records: *Single-place glider **Out-and-return distance: , 25 April 1983, Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 3 **Distance over a triangular course: , 2 May 1986, Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 3 **Free distance using up to 3 turn points: , 1 June 1993, Schempp-Hirth Discus B *Two-place glider **Out-and-return distance: , 7 April 1979, IAR IS-28B2 "Lark" **Out-and-return distance: , 28 September 1981,

Grob Grob may refer to: * Grob Aircraft, a German aircraft manufacturer * Grob fragmentation, an elimination reaction between an electrofuge and nucleofuge on an aliphatic chain * GrOb or Grazhdanskaya Oborona, a Russian punk band * Grob Gob Glob Grod, ...

Twin Astir II

Other flying accomplishments

Knauff's other accomplishments include: * Over 50 U.S. national gliding records * World/National

gliding competitions Some of the pilots in the sport of gliding take part in gliding competitions. These are usually racing competitions, but there are also aerobatic contests and on-line league tables. History of competitions In the early days, the main goal wa ...

* Kronfeld Challenge Cup 1991 (First American) * Eaton Trophy (with Doris Grove) 2000 * du Pont Trophy 1989 * Stroukoff Trophy 1989 * SSA Exceptional Achievement Award 1986 * FAI 1000K Diploma #15 (Int #31) 1980

Books

Knauff has written the following books: *''Accident Prevention Manual for Glider Flight Instructors'', with Doris Grove, 2nd edition, 1993, (No ISBN) *''Accident Prevention Manual for Glider Pilots'', with Doris Grove, 1992. *''After Solo'', 1995, *''Cockpit Guide for Glider CFI's'' *''Glider Basics from First Flight to Solo'', 5th edition, 1993, *''Glider Basics from Solo to License'' dited by Allan Northcut and Norm Gilmore; drawings by Robert Fitch 1st ed, 1984. *''Glider Emergency Procedures'' *''Glider Flight Instructor Manual'', 2001 *''Judgment Training Manual for Glider Pilots'', with Doris Grove, 1985. OCLC 61776977 *''Judgment training manual for glider flight instructors'', 1986. OCLC 61776976 *''Off Field Landings'', 1993 *''Ridge Soaring the Bald Eagle Ridge'', 1987 *''The Bronze Badge Book'' *''Transition to Gliders : A Flight Training Handbook for Power Pilots'' .2nd ed., 1990, 1984,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knauff, Thomas 1938 births 2024 deaths American aviation record holders American aviation writers American flight instructors American glider pilots American information and reference writers American instructional writers American aviation pioneers Glider flight record holders People from State College, Pennsylvania