Free Time in Deutschland - Lets Flyyyyyyy

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Gliding at the TU Dresden

At the TU Dresden, students reach new heights – literally. In a gliding course offered by the Academic Flying Group, students soar across the sky like a bird. On two days every year, new students have the chance to take a test flight in a real glider.

by Dominik Brüggemann

Im Landeanflug, Foto: Brüggemann/DAAD

The towing cable is latched and secured. The pilot checks the instruments, the rudder and stabilisers. Delta 54 is ready for take-off. The winch is released and the glider is pulled into the air at a speed of about 100 km per hour. With a light crosswind, the glider climbs steeply until it reaches an altitude of 400 metres. The cable unlatches and the two-seater “Twin Astir” sails silently over the Lausitz. Twice a year at the beginning of each semester, the Academic Flying Group, or “Akaflieg”, at the TU Dresden offers new students the chance to fly in their glider. About 30 flying enthusiasts showed up this semester at the Schwarzheide airfield to take a test flight with an experienced pilot.

One of them is the Geography major Nina Baake. “The club gave a video presentation about themselves in the lecture hall. That really hooked me,” she says, recalling the first time she’d heard of the group. But before she can take off, Vivian Rösler, the chairwoman of the club, gives her a briefing. She points out the most important instruments, tells her what to do in an emergency and shows her where the ‘barf bag’ is – in case she needs it.

Gliding is pure happiness

Im Cockpit, Foto: Brüggemann/DAAD

Luckily, Nina doesn’t need the bag. After her first flight, she can’t stop smiling. “Flying gives you an adrenaline high – a feeling of complete happiness,” she says. “I’m interested in this sport; I’ll be signing up with the club.” Her girlfriend is just as enthused after completing her first flight in a glider. “The view from up there is impressive and the feeling of floating quietly above the earth is amazing.”

“Akaflieg” is supported by experienced pilots like Lutz Plaumann. He has been flying motor-less aircraft since 1967. Because he was only 15 years old at the time, he needed a special permit which made him the youngest glider pilot in former East Germany. He proudly presents his logbook. So far he has logged a total of 1,327 take-offs. “The great thing about flying is succeeding at it. You’re overcome with a feeling of joy when you hit the thermic updraft and climb up to 2,000 metres,” he says, enthusiastically describing what makes this sport so unique.

The conditions are ideal in Schwarzheide, around 60 km northeast of Dresden. “It’s like an autobahn for gliding,” says club member Florian Herrmann. The former open-cast mines with their swaths of sand-covered terrain create excellent thermic conditions. This is where the sun heats up the ground especially fast. The warm air rises, allowing the gliders to circle overhead for long periods of time.

Flying in the summer, tinkering in the winter

Herrlicher Ausblick, Foto: Brüggemann/DAAD

To be allowed in the pilot’s seat, you first have to obtain a pilot licence and a physical. After an extensive examination in flight theory, you can pilot a glider in the company of an experienced flight coach. During this stage, you learn the basics of flying. Following your first solo flight, you must complete two more solo flights which are assessed by your flight coach. After you receive a radio licence and learn several additional flight manoeuvres, you can then obtain the basic A-level pilot licence.

Segelflieger, Foto: Brüggemann/DAAD

Flying is not the only thing the 35 members of the gliding club spend their time on. They have their sights on another goal – to build their own airplane which they’ve named D-B11. They are developing the plane’s hull, canopy and tail system all by themselves. The only parts they need to purchase are the wings and the tail construction. Student Maik Horneffer finds the project remarkable. “What makes it so impressive is that the students are developing a complete airplane from scratch.” Because the flying season usually ends at the end of October, there’s plenty of time to work on the D-B11 during the winter. The active members meet four times a week in their workshop located near campus. This is where they repair and maintain the three club-owned gliders and tinker on prototypes. If all goes according to plan, the D-B11 will be ready for take-off in 2015.

Source: study-in.de