# Frank Irving

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This article is about the British glider pilot. For the British computer programmer and activist, see [Francis Irving](/source/Francis_Irving).

**Frank Irving** (7 April 1925 – August 2005) was a British aeronautical engineer, [glider pilot](/source/Gliding), author and university lecturer.

## Early life and education

Francis George Irving was born in [Liverpool](/source/Liverpool), United Kingdom. He attended [St. Edward's College](/source/St._Edward's_College), and then [Liverpool University](/source/Liverpool_University).[1]

## 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](/source/Aeroplane_and_Armament_Experimental_Establishment) at [Boscombe Down](/source/Boscombe_Down), [Wiltshire](/source/Wiltshire). In 1945 he completed the course for civilian observers at the [Empire Test Pilots School](/source/Empire_Test_Pilots_School).[1]

He began lecturing in aeronautical engineering at [Imperial College London](/source/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.[1]

He eventually became a Senior Lecturer in the field of performance, [stability](/source/Longitudinal_static_stability) and control of aircraft. He authored *An Introduction to the Longitudinal Static Stability of Low-Speed Aircraft* in 1966.[1]

Irving became a member of the [Royal Aeronautical Society](/source/Royal_Aeronautical_Society) in 1946 and was later elected a Fellow of the Society.[1]

## Gliding

Irving learned to fly gliders with the [Imperial College Gliding Club](/source/Imperial_College_Gliding_Club). He then flew regularly in national gliding championships.[1]

In 1955 Irving and [Lorne Welch](/source/Lorne_Welch) became the first pilots to cross the [English Channel](/source/English_Channel) in a two-seat [glider](/source/Glider_(sailplane)). They launched from [Lasham](/source/Lasham) in [Hampshire](/source/Hampshire), flew to Dover, then across the Channel to [Calais](/source/Calais), over [Brussels](/source/Brussels) and landed at [Leuven](/source/Leuven) in [Belgium](/source/Belgium), a distance of 254 miles (409 km), a British record for a two-seat glider.[1]

He was among British glider pilots who explored [mountain lee waves](/source/Lee_wave) and by 1962 he had achieved the [Gold Badge](/source/FAI_Gliding_Commission#Badges) with two diamonds.[1]

Irving was Chairman of the technical committee of the [British Gliding Association](/source/British_Gliding_Association) for 25 years.

He was also active in the [Organisation Scientifique et Technique du Vol à Voile](/source/Organisation_Scientifique_et_Technique_du_Vol_%C3%A0_Voile) (OSTIV). He presented twenty-one technical papers at OSTIV congresses.[1]

He developed the Irving Tube to provide glider [variometers](/source/Variometer) with [total energy compensation](/source/Variometer#Total_energy_compensation) so glider pilots have accurate information about the rise and fall of the air in which they are flying.[2]

External image *Photograph of Frank Irving in Sigma[3]

He was closely associated with development of the [Sigma](/source/Sigma_(sailplane)), 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.[1]

## Publications

- *The Soaring Pilot* (1955) with [Ann](/source/Ann_Welch) and [Lorne Welch](/source/Lorne_Welch)

- *An Introduction to the Longitudinal Static Stability of Low-Speed Aircraft* (1966), Franklin Book Co, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-08-010741-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-08-010741-9)

- *The New Soaring Pilot* (1968) with [Ann Welch](/source/Ann_Welch)

- *The Complete Soaring Pilots Handbook* (1969) with [Ann](/source/Ann_Welch) and [Lorne Welch](/source/Lorne_Welch) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0679507185](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0679507185)

- *The Paths of Soaring Flight* (1999)

## Notes

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FGI_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FGI_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FGI_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FGI_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-FGI_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-FGI_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-FGI_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-FGI_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-FGI_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-FGI_1-9) ["Frank Irving"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1502088/Frank-Irving.html), *The Daily Telegraph*, London, 3 November 2005, retrieved 17 January 2011

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [*Irving Tube*](https://web.archive.org/web/20101019160746/http://www.recreationalflying.net/tutorials/groundschool/variometer.html), archived from [the original](http://www.recreationalflying.net/tutorials/groundschool/variometer.html) on 19 October 2010, retrieved 17 January 2011

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [*Photograph - Irving in Sigma*](http://picasaweb.google.com/roygilby/SailplanesGliding#5386389436622990082), retrieved 17 January 2011{{[citation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Citation)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

## References

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

Authority control databases International VIAF WorldCat National Netherlands

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