Sir George Cayley - Hertford Street, London, UK
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Master Mariner
N 51° 30.327 W 000° 08.951
30U E 697841 N 5709888
This London County Council blue plaque, to George Cayley a pioneer of aviation, is attached to a building on the south east side of Hertford Street. The plaque indicates that George Cayley "lived here".
Waymark Code: WMP4BJ
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 06/29/2015
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member bill&ben
Views: 1

The Encyclopaedia Britannica website has an article about George Cayley that tells us:

Sir George Cayley, 6th Baronet,  (born Dec. 27, 1773, Scarborough, Yorkshire, Eng.—died Dec. 8, 1854, Brompton, Yorkshire), English pioneer of aerial navigation and aeronautical engineering and designer of the first successful glider to carry a human being aloft.

Fascinated by flight since childhood, Cayley conducted a variety of tests and experiments intended to explore aerodynamic principles and to gather information of value in the design of aircraft. He published the results of his original research in 1809. His most important discoveries included the advantages of streamlining, the means of obtaining longitudinal and lateral stability, elements of wing design, thoughts on biplane and multiplane wings, and the use of rudders and elevators for control. Throughout his active career, Cayley designed a variety of aircraft, including helicopters, airships, and fixed-wing machines.

Cayley established the modern configuration of an airplane as a fixed-wing flying machine with separate systems for lift, propulsion, and control as early as 1799 (see Silver Disc machine). In 1804 he flew the first successful glider model of which there is any record. His work culminated in 1853 with the completion of a full-scale glider that carried his reluctant coachman on the first manned glider flight on record.

An individual of wide technical and scientific interests, Cayley invented the light-tension wheel (forerunner of the bicycle wheel), the expansion-air, or hot-air, engine (1805), and the caterpillar tractor (1825). He was a founder of the Regent Street Polytechnic Institution (charter of incorporation granted in 1839; now the Royal Polytechnic Institution). He also pursued research in science education, land reclamation, acoustics, railway equipment, lifeboats, ballistics, optics, and electricity.

Blue Plaque managing agency: London County Council

Individual Recognized: Sir George Cayley

Physical Address:
20 Hertford Street
London, United Kingdom


Web Address: [Web Link]

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