Wilhelm Düerkop

Wilhelm Düerkop (30 June 1928 – 29 September 2019) was a German glider and motor glider aerobatic 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.[1][2]

Personal life

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Wilhelm Düerkop[3][1][4][5][6][7][8][9] was born in Halberstadt on 30 June 1928.[5][10][11] He died on 29 September 2019, at the age of 91.[12][13]

Motor glider aerobatics

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Together with his colleague Hannes Mattes, he performed synchronised motor glider acrobatics using a Fournier RF 4 and an RF 5 at many air shows, until Hannes Mattes died in 2004.[1][14][15] Later, Wilhelm Düerkop joined the Skydance-Acro-Team and still performs motor glider aerobatics with an RF 4.[1]

Promotion of glider aerobatics

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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 courses[16] but he especially helps as the tow pilot using his Piper PA-18 "D-ELUF".[1][17] He has also volunteered at many glider aerobatics events.[18]

Cirrus K

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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.[6][7]

Gilb & Salzlore

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The Lo100 "Gilb" is now owned by the Förderverein Segelkunstflug im BWLV. It is regularly lent for use on aerobatic courses in Germany.[19]

An ASK 21 that is owned by the glider aerobatics club Fördervereins für Segelkunstflug im BWLV e.V. has been christened "Salzlore",[19] which means "salt lorry" in German, after Wilhelm "Salzmann" Düerkop and the president of the aeroclub of Baden-Württemberg Lore Sturm. This club was founded in 1985 and has about 1250 members.[20]

Salzmann-Cup

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Salzmann-Cups (2000 & 2001 Nagoldtal Cup)
year location winner (since 2005 unlimited)
2000 Nagold ? [21]
2001 Nagold Phillipp Hilker [21]
2002 Kirn ? [22]
2003 Babenhausen Hans-Georg Resch [23]
2004 Nagold Michael Zistler [24]
2005 Ziegenhain Wolfgang Kasper [25]
2006 Donauwörth Markus Feyerabend [11]
2007 Stöll/Rhinow Markus Feyerabend [26][27][28]
2008 Hornberg Hans-Georg Resch [4][29][30][31]
2009 Michelstadt-Vielbrunn Klaus Kahler [4][8][32]
2010 Kitzingen Wolfgang Schiek [33]
2011 Hayingen Hans-Georg Resch [34]

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.[8][35] 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.[8] 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.[31][35]

The first club championships took place in Nagold in 2000 and 2001 as "Nagoldtal-Cup", initiated by Michael Zistler.[36][37][38] Since 2002, the club championships are organized at different German airfields each year on Corpus Christi day and the following weekend.[4][32]

During the 2007 event, the Förderverein Kunstflug Aufschwung Ost (regional glider aerobatics club of east Germany) was founded.[39]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Skydance-Acro-Team (in German) Archived 19 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  2. ^ Invitation to the Salzmann Cup 2005 (in German) Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  3. ^ List of founding members of the Förderverein Segelkunstflug im BWLV e.V. (handwritten by the participants of the meeting)
  4. ^ a b c d Ralph Rainer: "Salzmanncup 2008", Luftsport 5/2008, pp. 36–37 & "Salzmann Cup 2008", der adler 7/2008, pp. 268–269 (in German)
  5. ^ a b "Wilhelm Düerkop ... eine Legende wurde 80", der adler 8/2008, pp. 298–299 (in German)
  6. ^ a b Swiss Glider Aerobatics Association's Cirrus K website (in German) – accessed 2008-02-09
  7. ^ a b List of planes and gliders of the "Toy Team" (in German) Archived 3 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  8. ^ a b c d Main-Netz: Keyword Salzmann-Cup (in German) – accessed 2008-07-03
  9. ^ Förderverein für Segelkunstflug im BWLV: Vergaberichtlinien 2004 (in German) Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-06-03
  10. ^ Announcement of Wilhelm Düerkop's 80th birthday / celebration in Sinsheim (in German) Archived 4 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-06-30
  11. ^ a b Official website of the 2006 Salzmann-Cup (in German) Archived 4 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  12. ^ "HLB Newsletter" (PDF). HLB. 17 December 2019. p. 21. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  13. ^ "In Memoriam – Wilhelm "Salzmann" Düerkop". KFAO. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  14. ^ Deutsch-Französisches Jugend-Streckenfluglager auf dem Klippeneck (in German) Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  15. ^ Obituary for Hannes Mattes in the journal Adler September 2004, published by the Baden-Württembergian aero club, compare Pressespiegel Förderverein / Segelkunstflug 2004 Archived 6 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  16. ^ Quax – Informationsblatt des Berliner Aero Clubs Mitte e.V. Nov/Dez 2000 – accessed 2008-02-09
  17. ^ HR tv-report: "Quer durch die Lüfte – Segelkunstflug über der Schwalm" calling Wilhelm Düerkop a living legend – accessed 2008-02-09
  18. ^ List of courses and events supported by Fördervereins für Segelkunstflug im BWLV e.V. Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2004 to 2008
  19. ^ a b Fleet of the Förderverein Segelkunstflug im BWLV e.V. Archived 8 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  20. ^ Förderverein Segelkunstflug im BWLV e.V.: the club (in German) Archived 31 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  21. ^ a b FSV Nagold: NagoldTal-Cup 2000 & 2001 (in German) – accessed 2008-07-21
  22. ^ Steff Hau: team leader of the aerobatic team of Rhineland-Palatinate (in German) Archived 22 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  23. ^ Official website of the 2003 Salzmann-Cup (in German) Archived 9 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  24. ^ Official website of the 2004 Salzmann-Cup (in German) Archived 9 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  25. ^ Official website of the 2005 Salzmann-Cup (in German) Archived 10 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  26. ^ Official website of the 2007 Salzmann-Cup (in German) Archived 6 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  27. ^ RBB tv-report "zibb" on 6 June 2007 (in German) – accessed 2008-02-09
  28. ^ Aerokurier August 2007, compare table of contents (in German)[permanent dead link‍] – accessed 2008-02-09
  29. ^ Official website of the 2008 Salzmann-Cup (in German) Archived 12 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  30. ^ FLG Schwäbisch Gmünd: SalzmannCup 2008 (in German) Archived 7 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-07-03
  31. ^ a b avmediafactory: Salzmann-Cup 2008 at Hornberg – pictures part 1-3 (in German)[permanent dead link‍] – accessed 2008-07-03
  32. ^ a b Förderverein Segelkunstflug im BWLV e.V.: competitions Archived 22 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  33. ^ "Salzmanncup 2010". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  34. ^ Salzmanncup 2011
  35. ^ a b Salzmann-Cup 2007 invitation (in German) Archived 4 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  36. ^ Pilot profile of Michael Zistler Archived 29 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine – accessed 2008-02-09
  37. ^ Announcement of the Nagoldtal Cup 2000 (in German) – accessed 2008-02-09
  38. ^ Announcement of the Nagoldtal Cup 2001 (in German) – accessed 2008-02-09
  39. ^ Website of the Förderverein Kunstflug Aufschwung Ost (in German) – accessed 2008-02-09
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