Fred To, who crafted the first solar-powered aircraft to carry a pilot, alerted your editor to the passing of Derek Piggott MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire). Derek was a master sailplane flight instructor, movie stunt pilot, the first human to successfully take off and fly an aircraft on muscle power alone, and a pioneer in electric aviation. Your editor met Derek at a Soaring Society of America convention in Seattle, Washington in 1980, and has an autographed copy of his autobiography, Delta Papa: A Life of Flying, as a cherished memento of that event. It covers his years in the Royal Air Force starting as a cadet, rising to pilot officer, and flying in Canada and India in a variety of gliders and powered aircraft. An Engine and Pilot Following his wartime experiences and discharge from the RAF, Derek taught flying in powered craft and gliders. His experience in what finally amounted to over 300 types of …
