Airborn in 1825...
Watchmaker Hans Andreas Navrestad

In 1891, the german engineer Otto Lilienthal succeeded with the reproducible gliding flights, the first in history, with his own design. His methodical strategy "from jump to flight" was adopted by the Wright Brothers in their quest to develop a practical powered machine.

However, there is reason to believe that a much earlier airborn event took place at Navrestad in Lund kommune, Norway. The local watchmaker Hans Andreas Navrestad performed a glided flight using a homemade flying device. According to stories told, he took off from a mountain top nearby the Navrestad Farm and continued across the Navrestad Lake, covering a total distance of about 400 meters.

This took place in 1825

The rumour says he got the inspiration by watching butterflies at summertime. By studying their delicate wing structure, he figured out a way to build his own wing construction using leather and fabrics streched across wooden ribs.

This Is An Ongoing Research Project...

Bibliography & Other References

Aviation Pioneer Links...

Today, thanks to many enthusiasts, the web is a huge source of aviation history.

«Lunds historie. Garden og slekten.»

By Ingjald Mehus
Lund kommune [1961]
2nd. Edition 1987
703 pages
ISBN: n/a

Gårds- og slektshistorie for: Austreim, Bringedal, Djupedal, Drivdal Nedre, Drivdal Øvre, Eik, Eike, Eikeland, Elve, Espelistøl, Flatestøl, Gjersdal, Gursli, Hamre, Handeland, Haukland, Hellesmark, Hove, Hovsmo, Kjørberg, Kjørmo, Kvelland, Kvitingen, Lagestrand, Liland, Linland, Litlehei, Lund - Prestegården, Mageland, Moi, Navrestad, Osen, Ovedal ( Åvedal ), Rusdal, Røyland, Sandstøl Indre, Sandstøl Ytre, Setra, Skjeggestad, Skåland, Skår, Skårdal Nedre, Skårdal Øvre, Solbjørg, Solli, Steinberg, Surdal, Takholt, Tjellesvik, Tronvik, Øverland ( Aueland ).

«Lunds historie II. Folk i Lund det siste hundre år.»

By Olav Heskestad
Lund kommune [1986]
256 pages
ISBN: n/a

Elve, Gjersdal, Nedre Drivdal, Øvre Drivdal, Kvelland, Navrestad, Åvedal, Solbjørg, Røyland, Djupedal, Hellesmark, Eike, Tjellesvik, Litlehei, Liland, Gursli, Skåland, Bringedal, Tronvik, Hamre, Lindland, Skår, Aueland, Haukland, Lund Prestegård, Eikeland, Moi, Osen, Skjeggestad, Lagestrand, Handeland, Hove, Surdal, Hovsmo, Eik, Kjørmo, Steinberg, Nedre Skårdal, Øvre Skårdal, Flatestør, Austreim, Mageland, Sætra, Kvitingen, Rusdal.