Thomas L. Knauff (born 1938) is an American writer,

glider Glider may refer to: Aircraft and transport Aircraft * Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight ** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of glidin ...

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

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

(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 soaring in the United States of America. It has been located at the National Soaring Museum in Elmira, New York, since 19 ...

. He was an early pioneer of ridge soaring 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 division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending ...

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

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, 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 one of the most respected glider flight instructors in the world. He was one of the few FAA designated pilot examiners who are authorized to issue initial flight instructor certificates. Knauff currently lives near State College,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

with his wife

Doris Grove Doris Grove is an American world record breaking glider pilot, flight instructor, and a member of the U.S. Soaring Hall of Fame. She was an early pioneer of ridge soaring in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians in the 1970s, ultimately setting three ...

, another hall of fame glider pilot. They own and operate the

Ridge Soaring Gliderport Ridge Soaring Gliderport was a public-use glider airport located two nautical miles (4 km) southwest of the central business district of Unionville, in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was privately owned by Knauff & Gro ...

Julian, Pennsylvania Julian is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 152 at the 2010 census. Most lo ...

, which they founded in 1975.

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 Aerospace, 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 People with the sur ...

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 ...

* Kronfield 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 Living people American aviators American aviation writers American information and reference writers American instructional writers Aviation pioneers Glider flight record holders Glider pilots Gliding in the United States People from State College, Pennsylvania American aviation record holders American flight instructors