Frank Irving

{{about|the British glider pilot|the British computer programmer and activist|Francis Irving}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}} {{Use British English|date=January 2017}}

'''Frank Irving''' (7 April 1925 – August 2005) was a British aeronautical engineer, [[gliding|glider pilot]], author and university lecturer.

== Early life and education == Francis George Irving was born in [[Liverpool]], United Kingdom. He attended [[St. Edward's College]], and then [[Liverpool University]].<ref name=FGI>{{Citation | last = | first = | author-link = | last2 = | first2 = | title = Frank Irving | date = 2005-11-03 | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1502088/Frank-Irving.html

| accessdate = 2011-01-17 | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref>

== Aeronautics == Irving graduated from Liverpool University in 1944 with a First in Engineering. After graduation, he worked as a civilian flight test observer at the [[Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment]] at [[Boscombe Down]], [[Wiltshire]]. In 1945 he completed the course for civilian observers at the [[Empire Test Pilots School]].<ref name=FGI/>

He began lecturing in aeronautical engineering at [[Imperial College London]] in 1947 and continued until his retirement. He was Warden of Beit Hall, a hall of residence for students of Imperial College, from 1950 to 1975.<ref name=FGI/>

He eventually became a Senior Lecturer in the field of performance, [[Longitudinal static stability|stability]] and control of aircraft. He authored ''An Introduction to the Longitudinal Static Stability of Low-Speed Aircraft'' in 1966.<ref name=FGI/>

Irving became a member of the [[Royal Aeronautical Society]] in 1946 and was later elected a Fellow of the Society.<ref name=FGI/>

== Gliding == Irving learned to fly gliders with the [[Imperial College Gliding Club]]. He then flew regularly in national gliding championships.<ref name=FGI/>

In 1955 Irving and [[Lorne Welch]] became the first pilots to cross the [[English Channel]] in a two-seat [[glider (sailplane)|glider]]. They launched from [[Lasham]] in [[Hampshire]], flew to Dover, then across the Channel to [[Calais]], over [[Brussels]] and landed at [[Leuven]] in [[Belgium]], a distance of {{convert|254|mi}}, a British record for a two-seat glider.<ref name=FGI/>

He was among British glider pilots who explored [[lee wave|mountain lee waves]] and by 1962 he had achieved the [[FAI Gliding Commission#Badges|Gold Badge]] with two diamonds.<ref name=FGI/>

Irving was Chairman of the technical committee of the [[British Gliding Association]] for 25 years.

He was also active in the [[Organisation Scientifique et Technique du Vol à Voile]] (OSTIV). He presented twenty-one technical papers at OSTIV congresses.<ref name=FGI/>

He developed the Irving Tube to provide glider [[variometer]]s with [[Variometer#Total energy compensation|total energy compensation]] so glider pilots have accurate information about the rise and fall of the air in which they are flying.<ref>{{Citation | title = Irving Tube | url = http://www.recreationalflying.net/tutorials/groundschool/variometer.html | accessdate = 2011-01-17 | archive-date = 19 October 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101019160746/http://www.recreationalflying.net/tutorials/groundschool/variometer.html | url-status = dead }}</ref> {{external media | float = right | width = 249px | image1 = *[http://picasaweb.google.com/roygilby/SailplanesGliding#5386389436622990082 Photograph of Frank Irving in Sigma]<ref>{{Citation | title = Photograph - Irving in Sigma | url = http://picasaweb.google.com/roygilby/SailplanesGliding#5386389436622990082 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130124191409/http://picasaweb.google.com/roygilby/SailplanesGliding%235386389436622990082 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2013-01-24 | accessdate = 2011-01-17 }}</ref>}} He was closely associated with development of the [[Sigma (sailplane)|Sigma]], a very-high-performance experimental glider.

Irving was President of the Imperial College Gliding Club from 1969 until 1999 when, at the age of 74, he chose to cease flying solo.<ref name=FGI/>

== Publications == * ''The Soaring Pilot'' (1955) with [[Ann Welch|Ann]] and [[Lorne Welch]] * ''An Introduction to the Longitudinal Static Stability of Low-Speed Aircraft'' (1966), Franklin Book Co, {{ISBN|0-08-010741-9}} * ''The New Soaring Pilot'' (1968) with [[Ann Welch]] * ''The Complete Soaring Pilots Handbook'' (1969) with [[Ann Welch|Ann]] and [[Lorne Welch]] {{ISBN|978-0679507185}} * ''The Paths of Soaring Flight'' (1999)

== Notes == {{Reflist}}

== References == *[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1502088/Frank-Irving.html Obituary - Frank Irving. ''The Telegraph'']

{{DEFAULTSORT:Irving, Frank}} [[Category:1925 births]] [[Category:2005 deaths]] [[Category:Academics of Imperial College London]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Liverpool]] [[Category:British aerospace engineers]] [[Category:English glider pilots]] [[Category:Fellows of the Royal Aeronautical Society]] [[Category:Gliding in England]]