 | |
| Company type | Non-profit |
|---|---|
| Genre | Aviation research |
| Founded | 1951 |
| Headquarters | |
| Website | www |
Akaflieg is an abbreviation for Akademische Fliegergruppe, groups of aeronautical engineering students from individual German universities of technology and Technische Hochschulen, pre and postwar, who design aircraft, often gliders.
Otto Lilienthal 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 Technische Hochschulen 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 Technische Hochschulen 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.
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 (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.
There are also academical gliding clubs with other focus than building aircraft, like the Akaflieg Frankfurt which is devoted on research of thermals, mountain wave and flight safety.
Contrary to the methods used by the Reich Air Ministry (RLM) for the allocation of aircraft designations, the designers and manufacturers of sailplanes and gliders in Germany enjoyed the freedom of choosing their own designations for their products up until 1945.
The Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, or Leibniz Prize, is awarded by the German Research Foundation to "exceptional scientists and academics for their outstanding achievements in the field of research". Since 1986, up to ten prizes have been awarded annually to individuals or research groups working at a research institution in Germany or at a German research institution abroad. It is considered the most important research award in Germany.
TU9 German Universities of Technology e. V. is the alliance of nine leading universities of technology in Germany. The current president of TU9 is Wolfram Ressel, rector of the University of Stuttgart.
The Mü-27 is a research glider aircraft that designed and built in Germany in 1979. Only one example was constructed.
The Akaflieg Stuttgart fs18a was a glider designed and built in Germany from 1938. It was characterized by a gull wing and was the first glider to have a retractable undercarriage. Only one example of the design was constructed.
Akaflieg Berlin is one of around thirteen flying groups, or Akaflieg, 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 with the development and the design of gliders, as well as research in aerodynamics. Founded in 1920 Akaflieg Berlin is one of the oldest gliding clubs in Germany, flying their gliders from Kammermark airfield near Pritzwalk, which they share with the AFV Berlin, which mainly consists of former members of Akaflieg Berlin, jokingly referred to as the “elderly ladies and gentlemen”. As at 2007/2008 Akaflieg Berlin was the executive group of the Idaflieg, the controlling body for all German university flying groups.
Akaflieg Darmstadt is one of approximately twenty aviation groups attached to German universities. Akaflieg is an abbreviation for Akademische Fliegergruppe, an academic group of students and faculty from a German University.
The Akaflieg Darmstadt D-6 Geheimrat, often shortened to Darmstadt D-6 Geheimrat, was an early competition glider with a single seat and high cantilever wing, designed and built by German University students in 1922.
The Akaflieg Braunschweig SB-11 is an experimental, single seat, variable geometry sailplane designed by aeronautical students in Germany. It won the 15 m span class at the World Gliding Championships of 1978 but its advances over the best, more conventional, opposition were not sufficient to lead to widespread imitation.
The Akaflieg Stuttgart fs31 Ferdinand Porsche is a tandem seat, dual control training glider designed and built in Germany between 1977 and 1981. The aircraft was intended to have high performance, yet to be robust enough for student use. It was not intended for production and remains in service with the Akaflieg after almost 40 years and 7,100 flying hours.
The German Glider Museum, situated on the Wasserkuppe in the German state of Hesse is the national gliding museum, opened in 1987.
Akaflieg Karlsruhe is one of ten flying groups (Akaflieg) attached to German universities. Akaflieg is an abbreviation for Akademische Fliegergruppe, an academic group of students working with a German University. The Akademische Fliegergruppe Karlsruhe e.V. - is a group of students enrolled at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, who are involved with the development and the design of gliders, as well as research in aerodynamics.
The Akaflieg Berlin B2 Teufelchen was a glider built in Germany in the 1920s. It featured a high-wing, cantilever sailplane configuration of all-wood construction.
The Akaflieg Stuttgart fs33 Gavilán is a high-performance two-seater class sailplane designed and built by Akaflieg Stuttgart.
