U-Turn GmbH

Last updated

U-Turn GmbH
Type Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
Industry Aerospace
Founded2002
FounderThomas Vosseler and Ernst Strobl
Headquarters,
Products Paragliders
Website www.u-turn.de

U-Turn GmbH is a German aircraft manufacturer originally based in Villingen-Schwenningen and later in Tuningen. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of paragliders in the form of ready-to-fly aircraft, particularly for aerobatics. [1]

Contents

The company was founded by Thomas Vosseler and Ernst Strobl in 2002. One early innovation was offering glider purchase financing through an owners' club. [1]

U-Turn is organized as a Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH), a German Limited liability company. [2]

The company's first product was the U-Turn Infinity, an intermediate glider designed for easy handling and safety. [1] By 2016 they had a full line of gliders for all levels of pilots, plus aerobatics, including a two-place aerobatic glider, the U-Turn Twinforce. [2]

Aircraft

Summary of aircraft built by U-Turn GmbH:

Related Research Articles

Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co is a major manufacturer of sailplanes located in Poppenhausen, near Fulda in Germany.

Göppingen Gö 1 German single-seat glider, 1935

The Göppingen Gö 1 Wolf was a single-seat glider produced in Germany from 1935.

The Gerhard Fieseler Werke (GFW) in Kassel was a German aircraft manufacturer of the 1930s and 1940s. The company is remembered mostly for its military aircraft built for the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.

Start + Flug H-101 German single-seat aerobatic glider, 1970

The H-101 Salto is an aerobatic glider of glass composite construction, developed in Germany in the 1970s. Based on the Standard Libelle H-201, it was designed by Ursula Hänle, widow of Eugen Hänle, former Director of Glasflügel. It was first produced by Start + Flug GmbH Saulgau.

Letov LF-107 Luňák

The LF-107 Luňák is a Czech aerobatic glider designed by Rudý Letov in the late 1940s. The design was developed within a prolific group of aeronautical engineers and sailplane pilots, including K. Dlouhý, J. Matejček, and B. Boček, lead by chief designer Vladimír Štros.

Matt Hall (pilot)

Matt Hall is a third-generation pilot, a former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fighter combat instructor, international unlimited aerobatic competitor and the first Australian to be selected to compete in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, starting in 2009. He won the championship in the final season of Red Bull Air Race in 2019.

Lange Aviation

Lange Aviation GmbH is a German company that manufactures gliders and develops electric power-plants for other aircraft. It was founded by its present managing director, Axel Lange, in 1996 as Lange Flugzeugbau GmbH in Zweibrücken. The company currently has 42 employees. At the end of September 2007, the business was re-capitalised. Lange Faserverbundtechnik GmbH acquired all material and intellectual properties of the Lange Flugzeugbau GmbH and it continued the production of the Antares gliders at the airport at Zweibrücken. The company has operated since 2008 under the name Lange Aviation Gmbh.

Glider (sailplane) Type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding

A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the leisure activity and sport of gliding. This unpowered aircraft can use naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to gain altitude. Sailplanes are aerodynamically streamlined and so can fly a significant distance forward for a small decrease in altitude.

Akaflieg München Mü28 Single-seat German research glider, 1983

The Akaflieg München Mü28 is a research glider aircraft that was designed and built in Germany in 1983. Only one example of the design was built.

The Akaflieg Darmstadt D-28 Windspiel was a single-seat, high-performance sailplane designed in Germany in the early 1930s. Intended to exploit a growing understanding of thermal soaring, it was small and manoeuvrable, with a 12 m span; silk-covered for lightness, it weighed less (empty) than its pilots. It held the world straight-line distance record for a time in 1934.

Finsterwalder German aircraft manufacturer

Finsterwalder GmbH is a German aircraft manufacturer specializing in hang gliders, paragliders and related accessories. The company is headquartered in Munich.

DFS Rhönsperber German single seat competition glider, 1937

The DFS Rhönsperber, otherwise known as the Schweyer Rhönsperber or Jacobs Rhönsperber was a single seat competition glider designed in Germany by Hans Jacobs and first flown in 1935. For several years it was regarded as the best German sailplane and about one hundred were built.

The Caproni Vizzola MF and 2 were single-seat gliders built in Italy just before World War II. Intended as training aircraft capable of aerobatics, the two variants differed only in their fuselages. Only one of each was built, but they were both successful in Italian competitions.

Winds Italia

Winds Italia was an Italian aircraft manufacturer based in Bologna that was founded by Canadian hang glider champion pilot Randy Haney. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of paramotors and powered hang glider harnesses in the form of ready-to-fly aircraft for the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules and the European microlight category.

Seedwings Europe

Seedwings Europe was an Austrian aircraft manufacturer based in Schlitters and founded in 1987. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of hang gliders in the form of ready-to-fly aircraft as well as hang glider harnesses.

Pro-Design

Pro-Design GmbH is an Austrian aircraft manufacturer based in Innsbruck. It was founded in 1986, in Natters. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of paragliders and powered parachute canopies, in the form of ready-to-fly aircraft.

Skywalk GmbH & Co. KG is a German aircraft manufacturer based in Marquartstein, Bavaria. Founded by Manfred Kistler and Thomas Allertseder in 2001, the company specializes in the design and manufacture of paragliders in the form of ready-to-fly aircraft as well as paragliding harnesses. The company also makes kite surfing wings and promotional tents.

Sol Paragliders is a Brazilian aircraft manufacturer based in Jaraguá do Sul and founded by Ary Carlos Pradi. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of paragliders and paramotor wings in the form of ready-to-fly aircraft. The company also produces paragliding harnesses, rescue parachutes and accessories.

The U-Turn Infinity is a German single-place paraglider, designed and produced by U-Turn GmbH of Villingen-Schwenningen. It was the first glider introduced by the company in 2003 and remained in production in 2016 as the Infinity 4.

UP International GmbH is a German aircraft manufacturer based in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of paragliders in the form of ready-to-fly aircraft. The company started business as a hang glider manufacturer based in the United States.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, page 34. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster UK, 2003. ISSN   1368-485X
  2. 1 2 U-Turn GmbH (2015). "History" . Retrieved 21 November 2016.