Wölfert's motorised airship makes first engine-driven flight

Background. Friedrich Hermann Wölfert was a German publisher and aviation pioneer. After a 1887 flight in Dresden, his work attracted the attention of Gottlieb Daimler, who had patented a new petrol engine for airflight. Daimler invited Wölfert to Cannstatt to collaborate on using this engine for airship propulsion, marking a shift from muscle-powered or steam-powered craft to internal combustion technology.

Technical Context. Prior to Wölfert's work, engine-powered airship flights had already occurred. Henri Giffard made the first engine-powered flight in 1852 using steam, and Paul Haenlein used an internal combustion engine in 1872. Wölfert's contribution involved the specific application of Daimler's petrol engine, known as the Standuhr, to an airship, building on these earlier precedents rather than establishing the absolute first engine-driven flight.

Flight Details. On 10 August 1888, Wölfert's airship flew from Cannstatt. The flight covered a distance of 10 kilometers. Historical records indicate the route involved flying to Aldingen, part of Remseck am Neckar, and returning, though some sources describe the destination as Kornwestheim. The aircraft was powered by a 2 hp single-cylinder Daimler engine.