Quick Facts
Biography
Karl H. Striedieck II (born April 7, 1937 Ann Arbor, Michigan) is a world record setting glider pilot and a member of the U.S. Soaring Hall of Fame. He was an early pioneer of ridge soaring in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians in the 1960s, ultimately setting nine world records flying gliders there. He was selected for the U.S. national soaring team 12 times, and won a silver medal in the world championships in 1978 and 1983.
Mr. Striedieck was a U.S. Air Force pilot from 1959 to 1962, flying the F-86 Sabre and F-102 Delta Dagger, then continued his military service until 1981 in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, where he transitioned to the A-7 Corsair II. A year before graduating from Pennsylvania State University in 1965, he started flying gliders when he and Bill Clark co-founded the Nittany Soaring Club, flying out of the former State College Air Depot. He has over 15,000 flying hours, with nearly half of that total in gliders.
Mr. Striedieck moved his home to the Eagle Field private airport on top of Bald Eagle Mountain, near State College, Pennsylvania in 1966, and now lives there with his second wife, Iris.
World gliding records
- Out-and-return distance: 767.02 km, 3 March 1968, Eaglesville, Pennsylvania, Schleicher Ka 8B
- Out-and-return distance: 916.30 km, 7 November 1971, Eagle Field, Pennsylvania, Schleicher ASW 15
- Out-and-return distance: 1098.54 km, 15 October 1972, Eagle Field, Pennsylvania, Schleicher ASW 15
- Out-and-return distance: 1025.02 km, 7 October 1972, Eagle Field, Pennsylvania, Schleicher ASW 15
- Out-and-return distance: 1298.97 km, 17 March 1976, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, Schleicher ASW 17
- Out-and-return distance: 1634.70 km, 9 May 1977, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, Schleicher ASW 17
- Distance over a triangular course: 1362.68 km, 2 May 1986, Julian, Pennsylvania, Schleicher ASW 20B
- Free distance using up to 3 turn points: 1434.99 km, 12 May 1994, Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, Schleicher ASW 20B
- Straight distance to a declared goal: 1288.79 km, 18 April 1997, Eagle Field, Pennsylvania Schleicher ASW 27
Other flying accomplishments
- Smirnoff Derby Twice, won 1978
- SSA Contest Rules Committee Chairman 1992-2004
- Contest Organizer/Manager 18 times
- Lilienthal Medal 1971
- Lincoln Award 1986
- Exceptional Achievement Award 1972, 1977, 1986, 1994, 1997
- U.S. Standard Class Trophy 1973, 1980, 1981, 1992, 1996;
- U.S. Schreder 15M Trophy 1977, 1980, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1996, 1999, 2001
- Giltner Trophy 1988, 1989, 1993, 1999, 2001
- Hilton Cup 1989
- du Pont Trophy 1990
- Kubly Standard Trophy 1991, 1992, 1993, 1990
- Gomez Trophy 1999
- Lattimore Trophy 1999
- Hatcher Trophy 2001
- FAI 1000 K Diploma #5 (Int #8) 1972