John W. Dickenson

John Wallace Dickenson is an Australian inventor, who developed some liquid flow measuring devices [ [http://www.johndickenson.net/other-inventions/index.html Other inventions and designs by J. Dickenson] ] and designed a successful hang glider format.

The Ski Wing

On 1963, after seeing an image of a Rogallo wing airfoil on a magazine, Dickenson set to build a water skiing wing that could be released at altitude for a glide to a safe landing, thus designed and built a water skiing kite wing he called the "Ski Wing". [cite web|url=http://www.lilienthal-museum.de/olma/esoest.htm |title=To fly like a bird |accessdate=2008-08-12 |last=Lukasch |first=Bernd |date=June 2, 2000 ] [ cite web|url=http://grafton.nsw.free.fr/ski_wing |title=Grafton's Ski Wing |accessdate=2008-08-13 |last=Skyvington |first=William ] [ cite web|url=http://www.hgfa.asn.au//skysailor/Issues/0609/gmrept.htm |title=History – Grafton, Jacaranda Festival and John Dickenson |accessdate=2008-08-13 |last=Fogg |first=Chris |date=2006 |publisher=Hang Gliding Federation of Australia ]

His ski kite format incorporated an airframe with a triangle control frame having a basebar tow-point and was integrated on a Rogallo wing airfoil, where the pilot sat on a swinging seat while the control frame and wire bracing distributed the load to the wing as well as giving a frame to brace for weight-shift control. [ cite web|url=http://bchpa.org/newsletter/may04/hghistory.htm |title=Who invented the flex wing hang glider? |accessdate=2008-08-12 |last=Woodhams |first=Mark |date=May 2004 |publisher=Newsletter of the British Columbia Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association ] [ cite web|url=http://www.wmof.com/rsw.htm |title=Rogallo "Sail Wing" Hang Glider |accessdate=2008-08-12 |publisher=Western Museum of flight ] Dickenson's Ski Wing turned out to be stable and controllable, unlike the flat manned kites used at water ski shows. [Stability and weight-shift control are inherent flex-wing characteristics previously established and described by its inventor Francis Rogallo and by NASA engineers in the Paresev and Fleep programs.] The Ski Wing was first flown in public at the 'Grafton Jacaranda Festival', Australia, in September 1963 by Rod Fuller while towed behind a motorboat.

The Ski Wing was light and portable so Dickenson decided to file for a patent, but lacking on economic resources, the patent process of formal review of claims could not be entered to determine which, if any, of the claims could hold, so the patent was not awarded. [On October/11/1963 Dickenson filed for a patent, and a provisional protection was awarded for his application number 36189/63 but the patent was not awarded: cite web|url=http://www.innovated.gov.au/Innovated%5Ccase_studies%5CHang_Glider.pdf |title=John Dickenson - Profits left hanging by glider |accessdate=2008-08-12 |format=PDF |publisher=InovatED ]

Legacy

His new hang glider format was further developed by other builders and directly helped to build the popularity of hang gliding around the world in the 1970s and 1980s in concert with others. [ [http://www.lilienthal-museum.de/olma/edick.htm Article on John Dickenson] ] [Contributions by Bill Bennet as explained by the 'Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum':Delta Wing Phoenix VI [http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/delta_wing_phoenix_vib.htm] , Delta Wing Phoenix VI: [http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/delta_wing_phoenix_vi.htm] , Delta Wing Phoenix Mariah M-9: [http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/delta_wing_M-9.htm] , Delta Wing Model 162: [http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/delta_wing_162.htm] , Delta Wing Phoenix Viper 175: [http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/delta_wing_phoenix_viper.htm] , Delta Wing Streak 130: [http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/delta_wing_130.htm] .] [Moyes' story: [http://www.moyes.com.au/articledetail.asp?ID=41&Cat=] , The History of Moyes: [http://www.moyes.com.au/articledetail.asp?ID=61&Cat=] ] [ABC History -an interview with Moyes: [http://www.abc.net.au/gnt/history/Transcripts/s1227269.htm] ] [Mike Harker: [http://www.h-tv.com/mike/resume.htm] ]

It is certain that many people from many countries, made contributions to the development of the flexible wing hang glider. In the aviation context of 'first flights' and recreational vs. commercial developments, new and old inventions often complement in synergy; it is in this evolutionary and social context that the crucial developments put together by Otto Lilienthal, Francis Rogallo, Barry Hill Palmer, Charles Richards, and John Dickenson, were among the ones that were successful and influential on the evolution of hang gliders. [cite web|url=http://www.lilienthal-museum.de/olma/esoest.htm |title=To fly like a bird |accessdate=2008-08-12 |last=Lukasch |first=Bernd |date=June 2, 2000 ]

Awards

Most recognitions and awards have been given to Dickenson decades after his invention: [ [http://www.johndickenson.net/awards/index.html Awards to John W. Dickenson] ]

*'Life Membership' to the Hang Gliding Federation of Australia (1993)
*'Certificate of Recognition' by the British Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association (1993)
*Space Technology Hall of Fame (1995)
*Order of Australia (1996) [ [http://www.innovated.gov.au/Innovated%5Ccase_studies%5CHang_Glider.pdf Order of Australia award to John Dickenson] ]
*Grafton Town Memorial, NSW Australia (2006)
*'Certificate of Recognition' by the Hang Gliding Federation of Australia (2006)
*The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Hang Gliding Diploma (2006) for the invention of the modern hang glider. [ [http://www.fai.org/awards/award.asp?id=21 FAI Award: The FAI Hang Gliding Diploma] ]

References

See also

* History of hang gliding

External links

*Video: Interview with John Dickenson, Bill Moyes and Francis Rogallo (1988): [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sADQ7ViG3rc]
*Video: Flexible wing. Interview with Francis Rogallo. "NASA Destination- Tomorrow", segment explaining the history of the flexible wing and of the hang glider. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXNSTkhYy_s]