Wilhelm Düerkop (30 June 1928 – 29 September 2019) was a German glider and

motor glider A motor glider is a fixed-wing aircraft that can be flown with or without engine power. The FAI Gliding Commission Sporting Code definition is: a fixed-wing aerodyne equipped with a means of propulsion (MoP), capable of sustained soaring flig ...

aerobatic Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aeroplane" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and gl ...

pilot and promoter of glider aerobatics in Germany for many years. He is known by the nickname ''Salzmann'' (meaning "salt man" in German). This is because he was a pit foreman in a

salt mine Salt mining extracts natural salt deposits from underground. The mined salt is usually in the form of halite (commonly known as rock salt), and extracted from evaporite formations. History Before the advent of the modern internal combustio ...

.Invitation to the Salzmann Cup 2005 (in German)
– accessed 2008-02-09

Personal life

Wilhelm Düerkop
– accessed 2008-02-09Ralph Rainer: "Salzmanncup 2008", Luftsport 5/2008, pp. 36–37 & "Salzmann Cup 2008", der adler 7/2008, pp. 268–269 (in German)"Wilhelm Düerkop ... eine Legende wurde 80", der adler 8/2008, pp. 298–299 (in German)
– accessed 2008-02-09
– accessed 2008-02-09Main-Netz: Keyword Salzmann-Cup (in German)
– accessed 2008-07-03Förderverein für Segelkunstflug im BWLV: Vergaberichtlinien 2004 (in German)
– accessed 2008-06-03 was born in

Halberstadt Halberstadt (; Eastphalian dialect, Eastphalian: ''Halverstidde'') is a town in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany, the capital of Harz (district), Harz district. Located north of the Harz mountain range, it is known for its old town ...

on 30 June 1928.Announcement of Wilhelm Düerkop's 80th birthday / celebration in Sinsheim (in German)
– accessed 2008-06-30Official website of the 2006 Salzmann-Cup (in German)
– accessed 2008-02-09 He died on 29 September 2019, at the age of 91.

Motor glider aerobatics

Together with his colleague Hannes Mattes, he performed synchronised

acrobatics using a Fournier RF 4 and an RF 5 at many air shows, until Hannes Mattes died in 2004.Deutsch-Französisches Jugend-Streckenfluglager auf dem Klippeneck (in German)
– accessed 2008-02-09Obituary for Hannes Mattes in the journal ''Adler'' September 2004, published by the

Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg ( ; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a states of Germany, German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million i ...

ian aero club, compar
Pressespiegel Förderverein / Segelkunstflug 2004
– accessed 2008-02-09 Later, Wilhelm Düerkop joined the Skydance-Acro-Team and still performs motor glider aerobatics with an RF 4.

Promotion of glider aerobatics

He owned two Lo 100 gliders a yellow one (christened "Gilb") and a white one, but he now has a modified Schempp-Hirth Cirrus, known as a Cirrus K ("Langohr Eater"). To help promote glider aerobatics, Düerkop lends his gliders to both learners and competition pilots. He sometimes trains advanced learners on aerobatics coursesQuax – Informationsblatt des Berliner Aero Clubs Mitte e.V. Nov/Dez 2000
– accessed 2008-02-09 but he especially helps as the tow pilot using his

Piper PA-18 The Piper PA-18 Super Cub is a two-seat, single-engine monoplane. Introduced in 1949 by Piper Aircraft, it was developed from the PA-11 Cub Special, and traces its lineage back through the J-3 Cub to the Taylor E-2 Cub of the 1930s. In close ...

"D-ELUF".HR tv-report: "Quer durch die Lüfte – Segelkunstflug über der Schwalm"
calling Wilhelm Düerkop a living legend – accessed 2008-02-09 He has also volunteered at many glider aerobatics events.List of courses and events supported by ''Fördervereins für Segelkunstflug im BWLV e.V.''
– accessed 2004 to 2008

Cirrus K

The modification of a Standard Cirrus into a Cirrus K was initiated by Wilhelm Düerkop in the late 1980s. He still owns the prototype, while the second one is owned by his nephew Wolfgang Seitz.

Gilb & Salzlore

The Lo100 "Gilb" is now owned by the Förderverein Segelkunstflug im BWLV. It is regularly lent for use on aerobatic courses in Germany.Fleet of the Förderverein Segelkunstflug im BWLV e.V.
– accessed 2008-02-09 An

ASK 21 The ASK 21 is a glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) two-seat glider aircraft with a T-tail. The ASK 21 is designed primarily for beginner instruction, but is also suitable for cross-country flying and aerobatics, aerobatic instruction. Design and d ...

that is owned by the glider aerobatics club ''Fördervereins für Segelkunstflug im BWLV e.V.'' has been christened "Salzlore", which means "salt

lorry A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport freight, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame constructio ...

" in German, after Wilhelm "Salzmann" Düerkop and the president of the aeroclub of

Lore Sturm. This club was founded in 1985 and has about 1250 members.Förderverein Segelkunstflug im BWLV e.V.: the club (in German)
– accessed 2008-02-09

Salzmann-Cup

The German club championships in glider aerobatics are named Salzmann-Cup after Wilhelm "Salzmann" Düerkop. There are three classes in each competition: the sportsman class, the advanced class and the unlimited class.Salzmann-Cup 2007 invitation (in German)
– accessed 2008-02-09 The Salzmann-Cup plays a similar role as state championships in Germany. In the unlimited category, it is a qualification contest for joining the national team. A team prize is also presented based on the combined results in all the classes for the pilots of each club. Additionally, the title "Salzmann des Jahres" (Salt Man of the Year) is awarded for unselfish conduct and sportsmanship. The first club championships took place in

Nagold Nagold () is a town in southwestern Germany, bordering the Northern Black Forest. It is located in the '' Landkreis'' (district) of Calw (Germany/Baden-Württemberg). Nagold is recorded for the first time in a historical document dating back to ...

in 2000 and 2001 as "Nagoldtal-Cup", initiated by Michael Zistler.Pilot profile of Michael Zistler
– accessed 2008-02-09
– accessed 2008-02-09
– accessed 2008-02-09 Since 2002, the club championships are organized at different German airfields each year on Corpus Christi day and the following weekend. During the 2007 event, the ''Förderverein Kunstflug Aufschwung Ost'' (regional glider aerobatics club of east Germany) was founded.Website of the Förderverein Kunstflug Aufschwung Ost (in German)
– accessed 2008-02-09

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duerkop, Wilhelm 1928 births 2019 deaths People from Halberstadt Aerobatic pilots German aviators German glider pilots