Akaflieg
Encyclopedia
Akaflieg is an abbreviation for Akademische Fliegergruppe, an academic group of pilots in pre and postwar Germany
.
published his book Der Vogelflug als Grundlage der Fliegekunst (Birdflight as the Basis of Aviation) in 1889. This described the basics of modern aerodynamics and aircraft construction. Lilienthal then made many successful flights starting in 1891. However attention then shifted to powered flight after World War I
.
Gliding
re-emerged as a sport after the war because the building of powered aircraft was restricted in Germany by the Treaty of Versailles
. The main originator of the gliding movement was Oskar Ursinus
, who in 1920 organised the first contest, known as the Rhön-Contest, on the Wasserkuppe
. Thereafter the contest was held annually. Students of technical universities brought gliders which they had developed and built themselves for testing to these contests. An esprit de corps developed known as Rhöngeist.
These informal beginnings caused the formation of groups of engineers at universities with the aim of scientific and practical education. The first groups were formed in 1920 in Aachen, Darmstadt and Berlin-Charlottenburg, but others soon followed.
Many of the first members had been pilots in the German Air Force. However it was the love of flying rather than militarism or nationalism that motivated them. As a result a fraternal spirit was created that has been maintained to this day.
During the Nazi period some Akafliegs escaped regulation for a while through the patronage of the Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt (DVL), a forerunner of the present-day German Aerospace Center
(DLR), however shortly before World War II
the akafliegs were forced to integrate into the NS-Deutsche Studentenbund (Nazi-students-federation). The projects at this time mainly had a military application.
The aim of the Akafliegs is the development, design and construction of aeroplanes, especially gliders and scientific research into flight. Much of the practical work is done at the summer meetings of the Idaflieg in co-operation with the German Aerospace Center
(DLR), while the results of the research are presented at the winter meetings. The Idaflieg also offers many events and courses to its members such as the specification, design and certification of aeroplanes.
The quality of additional education provided by the Akafliegs is widely respected and so German glider manufacturers recruit almost exclusively from the Akafliegs.
Members have to devote approximately 150 to 300 man-hours annually in order to be able to fly with the Akafliegs. The cost of flying for these members is usually much lower than at other gliding clubs.
American Universities have also implemented programs similar to the Akafliegs but based around the American style of teaching, Penn State's AERSP 404H
is one example of this implementation.
Akaflieg Berlin
Akaflieg Braunschweig
Akaflieg Darmstadt
Akaflieg Dresden
Akaflieg Erlangen
Akaflieg Hannover
Akaflieg Karlsruhe
Akaflieg Köln
Akaflieg München
Akaflieg Stuttgart
Akaflieg Wilhelmshaven
Flugwissenschaftliche Vereinigung Aachen
(FV Aachen)
Flugwissenschaftliche Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bremen (FWAG Bremen)
Flugtechnische Arbeitsgemeinschaft Esslingen (FTAG Esslingen)
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
History
Otto LilienthalOtto Lilienthal
Otto Lilienthal was a German pioneer of human aviation who became known as the Glider King. He was the first person to make well-documented, repeated, successful gliding flights. He followed an experimental approach established earlier by Sir George Cayley...
published his book Der Vogelflug als Grundlage der Fliegekunst (Birdflight as the Basis of Aviation) in 1889. This described the basics of modern aerodynamics and aircraft construction. Lilienthal then made many successful flights starting in 1891. However attention then shifted to powered flight after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Gliding
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
re-emerged as a sport after the war because the building of powered aircraft was restricted in Germany by the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
. The main originator of the gliding movement was Oskar Ursinus
Oskar Ursinus
Carl Oskar Ursinus was a pioneer of German aviation and is remembered mainly for his contributions to sailplane designs and the sport of gliding...
, who in 1920 organised the first contest, known as the Rhön-Contest, on the Wasserkuppe
Wasserkuppe
The Wasserkuppe is a high plateau , the highest peak in the Rhön Mountains within the German state of Hessen. Between the first and second World Wars, during the era of the so-called Golden Age of Aviation, great advances in sailplane development were made there.Remark: The German wording takes its...
. Thereafter the contest was held annually. Students of technical universities brought gliders which they had developed and built themselves for testing to these contests. An esprit de corps developed known as Rhöngeist.
These informal beginnings caused the formation of groups of engineers at universities with the aim of scientific and practical education. The first groups were formed in 1920 in Aachen, Darmstadt and Berlin-Charlottenburg, but others soon followed.
Many of the first members had been pilots in the German Air Force. However it was the love of flying rather than militarism or nationalism that motivated them. As a result a fraternal spirit was created that has been maintained to this day.
During the Nazi period some Akafliegs escaped regulation for a while through the patronage of the Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt (DVL), a forerunner of the present-day German Aerospace Center
German Aerospace Center
The German Aerospace Center is the national centre for aerospace, energy and transportation research of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has multiple locations throughout Germany. Its headquarters are located in Cologne. It is engaged in a wide range of research and development projects in...
(DLR), however shortly before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the akafliegs were forced to integrate into the NS-Deutsche Studentenbund (Nazi-students-federation). The projects at this time mainly had a military application.
Present day
After the war, the Akafliegs re-formed in 1951, co-ordinated by Interessengemeinschaft Deutscher Akademischer Fliegergruppen e.V. (Idaflieg). As of 2009 there are ten groups.The aim of the Akafliegs is the development, design and construction of aeroplanes, especially gliders and scientific research into flight. Much of the practical work is done at the summer meetings of the Idaflieg in co-operation with the German Aerospace Center
German Aerospace Center
The German Aerospace Center is the national centre for aerospace, energy and transportation research of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has multiple locations throughout Germany. Its headquarters are located in Cologne. It is engaged in a wide range of research and development projects in...
(DLR), while the results of the research are presented at the winter meetings. The Idaflieg also offers many events and courses to its members such as the specification, design and certification of aeroplanes.
The quality of additional education provided by the Akafliegs is widely respected and so German glider manufacturers recruit almost exclusively from the Akafliegs.
Members have to devote approximately 150 to 300 man-hours annually in order to be able to fly with the Akafliegs. The cost of flying for these members is usually much lower than at other gliding clubs.
American Universities have also implemented programs similar to the Akafliegs but based around the American style of teaching, Penn State's AERSP 404H
AERSP 404H
AERSP 404H is offered by the Pennsylvania State University as Flight Vehicle Design and Fabrication II, as an upper-level engineering design and capstone course. This course receives funding as a member of the Space Grant Colleges and Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium...
is one example of this implementation.
Akaflieg Berlin
Akaflieg Berlin
Akaflieg Berlin is one of around thirteen flying groups currently attached to German universities. Akaflieg Berlin, is the abbreviation of Akademische Fliegergruppe Berlin e.V. , a group of students enrolled at several Berlin universities, though they are mainly from TU Berlin, who are involved...
- Technische Universität Berlin - Berlin Technical University
Akaflieg Braunschweig
- Technische Universität Braunschweig - Braunschweig Technical University
Akaflieg Darmstadt
Akaflieg Darmstadt is one of around twenty flying groups attached to German universities. Akaflieg is an abbreviation for Akademische Fliegergruppe, an academic group of students and faculty from a German University.-Akaflieg history:...
- Technische Universität Darmstadt - Darmstadt University of TechnologyDarmstadt University of TechnologyThe Technische Universität Darmstadt, abbreviated TU Darmstadt, is a university in the city of Darmstadt, Germany...
Akaflieg Dresden
- Technische Universität Dresden - Dresden Technical University
Akaflieg Erlangen
- Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg - Erlangen-Nürnberg University
Akaflieg Hannover
- Leibniz Universität Hannover - Leibniz University of HannoverLeibniz University of HannoverThe University of Hanover, officially the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover or LUH, is a university located in Hanover, Germany. It was founded in 1831 and is one of the oldest universities focussing on science and technology in Germany...
Akaflieg Karlsruhe
- Universität Karlsruhe - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyKarlsruhe Institute of TechnologyThe Karlsruhe Institute of Technology is a German academic research and education institution with university status resulting from a merger of the university and the research center of the city of Karlsruhe. The university, also known as Fridericiana, was founded in 1825...
Akaflieg Köln
- Universität zu Köln - Cologne University
Akaflieg München
- 'Technische Universität München - Technical University of MunichTechnical University of MunichThe Technische Universität München is a research university with campuses in Munich, Garching, and Weihenstephan...
Akaflieg Stuttgart
- Universität Stuttgart - University of StuttgartUniversity of StuttgartThe University of Stuttgart is a university located in Stuttgart, Germany. It was founded in 1829 and is organized in 10 faculties....
Akaflieg Wilhelmshaven
- Universität Wilhelmshaven - Wilhelmshaven University
Flugwissenschaftliche Vereinigung Aachen
Flugwissenschaftliche Vereinigung Aachen
Flugwissenschaftliche Vereinigung Aachen is a non-profit organization, founded in 1920, which is closely associated to RWTH Aachen University , with members consisting of RWTH Aachen students, which have included Felix Kracht...
(FV Aachen)
- Rhein-Westphalia Techische Hochschule Aachen Universität - RWTH Aachen University (Rhein-Westphalia Technical High school)
Flugwissenschaftliche Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bremen (FWAG Bremen)
Flugtechnische Arbeitsgemeinschaft Esslingen (FTAG Esslingen)
- Hochschule Esslingen - Esslingen High School
External links
- Idaflieg
- Flugwissenschaftliche Vereinigung Aachen
- Akademische Fliegergruppe Berlin
- Akademische Fliegergruppe Braunschweig
- Akademische Fliegergruppe Darmstadt
- Akademische Fliegergruppe Dresden
- Flugtechnische Arbeitsgemeinschaft Esslingen
- Akademische Fliegergruppe Hannover
- Akademische Fliegergruppe an der Universität Karlsruhe
- Akaflieg München
- Akaflieg Stuttgart
- Akaflieg Wilhelmshaven
- http://www.tu-berlin.de/menue/forschung/kompetenzen/
- http://www.idaflieg.de/adressen.htm
- http://www.idaflieg.de
- :de:Akaflieg#Akaflieg Darmstadt Akaflieg article in german