After its first flight on the Wasserkuppe in May 1928, the Rhöngeist joined the annual national competition there and made its mark with a flight on 6 August 1928, flown by Robert Kronfeld who found a thermal under a cloud, flew to mountains and slope soared, then returned against the wind to the Wasserkuppe, aided by more thermals en route. Almost immediately other pilots began to find lift under clouds.