Hezârfen Ahmed Çelebi

Hezârfen Ahmed Çelebi, born in Istanbul in 1609, was an Ottoman scientist, inventor, chemist, astronomer, physician, musician, and poet. He is primarily known for the account in the writings of traveler Evliya Çelebi, which claims that Çelebi achieved the first sustained unpowered flight around 1630–1632. According to the account, Çelebi flew from the top of the Galata Tower across the Bosphorus to Üsküdar, a distance of approximately 3.5 kilometers, using a self-made glider. Evliya Çelebi described the flight and stated that Sultan Murad IV was impressed but also fearful, subsequently exiling Çelebi to Algeria, where he died in 1640 at the age of 30 or 31. The title 'Hezârfen' is of Persian origin, meaning 'thousand-talented' or 'polymath,' reflecting his diverse skills and knowledge. His brother, Lagâri Hasan Çelebi, is also mentioned in historical accounts as an early rocket aviator. The legacy of Hezârfen Ahmed Çelebi includes an airport named after him in Istanbul, a feature film, and a children's TV show.