Pirna-Pratzschwitz Airport

Pirna-Pratzschwitz Airport
Pirna-Pratzschwitz
Characteristics
ICAO code	EDAR
Coordinates	50 ° 58 '45 "  N , 13 ° 55' 0"  E Coordinates: 50 ° 58 '45 "  N , 13 ° 55' 0"  E
Height above MSL	123 m (404  ft )
Transport links
Distance from the city center	2 km northwest of Pirna
Street	S177 , A17 Dresden-Prague
Basic data
opening	1958
operator	Aeroclub Pirna e. V.
Start-and runway
30/12	900 m × 40 m grass

Glider operations in Pirna.

The airfield Pirna is a German airfield at Pirna and is classified as a special airfield . It is located on the right bank of the Elbe, approx. 2 km northwest of the city center of Pirna, between the gravel and bathing lake Birkwitz and the S177 . It is located in the Pratzschwitz district within the village of Birkwitz-Pratzschwitz . There is a grass runway for powered flight, parallel to this a glider- wind take-off and landing track as well as a model flight area.

history

The beginnings of the airfield can be traced back to the formation of associations in the late 1920s. In 1928 the Pirnaer Anzeiger published a call for the Akaflieg Dresden (Academic Aviation Group of the Technical University of Dresden ) to form a flight club in the German Aviation Association. V.

The members built most of the aircraft and technical equipment themselves. The Zögling glider and a Popenhausen two-seater soon formed the aircraft park . Berthelsdorf near Neustadt and the Pirnaer Kohlberg were the first practice areas. The Pirnaer Verein took part in Rhön competitions. These annual glider flying meetings on the Wasserkuppe , a little wooded mountain in the middle of the Rhön southwest of the Thuringian Forest , were the most important meeting place for German glider pilots at that time. The outbreak of World War II brought all aviation activities in Germany to a standstill.

It wasn't until 1952 that aviation enthusiasts were able to get together again in Pirna to start building model aircraft and gliders. A SG 38 school glider was used for flight operations . In 1953 it was badly damaged during an outland landing , so that no flight operations could take place until the glider was repaired in 1955. During this time, the Pirna glider pilots switched to other airfields such as Riesa-Göhlis and Klix airfield . The basic training took place on the Elbe meadows .

The first aircraft of our own was a Lommatzsch FES-530 teacher from the Lommatzsch apparatus construction company near Meißen . The VEB Entwicklungsbau Pirna was noted as the owner , which was unique for the time .

However, an airfield of its own did not yet exist. The first efforts were directed at former airfields such as at Kohlberg and Triebenberg. But worldwide there were so rapid and promising technical advances in gliding after the war that it seemed advisable to aim for at least 1200 m towing distance. Low land values ​​drew attention to the current airfield in the municipality of Pratzschwitz . In 1958 the first take-off could take place on the new airfield. The final completion of the airfield dragged on until about 1975.

At the beginning of the 1970s, gliders and powered pilots from the Technical University of Dresden were added. New, powerful gliders now also allowed long flights over Saxon Switzerland, Lusatia and the Ore Mountains. Competitions at the district and republic level became an integral part of flying life. Unfortunately, this development came to an abrupt end in 1979. A change of leadership took place in the Society for Sport and Technology (GST), the sole sponsor of all sport aviation activities in the GDR. After a few escapes from the GDR with GST aircraft at short intervals , several airfields , especially those close to the border, were closed and the sporting aspect of gliding took a back seat in favor of pre-military training.

Many glider pilots were given the choice of either giving up flying or relatives in the other part of Germany and decided in favor of their families. In the mid-80s, sport aviation was given more freedom again. It was not until 1990 that the turning point in the GDR allowed the aviation clubs that were founded to become independent from state influences and to return to sport and hobby flying without political patronage. In this year the Aeroclub Pirna e. V. The Aeroclub Pirna is now an association with around 170 members (as of 2016). A two-seater SZD-9 Bocian , a single-seater PZL Bielsko SZD-30 and three Club Astire Grob G 102s are available for glider training . There are also the two-seater Puchacz and TWIN 2 Grob G 103 , as well as the single-seater Schempp-Hirth Cirrus , Club Astir Grob G 102 and, since autumn 2015, an LS-7 for distance gliding . For aerobatics, there has also been a Schleicher ASK 21 since 2014 . A Wilga is available as a tow plane. In addition, the Aeroclub Pirna is the owner of a C-Falcon and a Dimona .

Location and transport links

The airfield is located on the outskirts of Pirna and can be reached via the federal motorway 17 , exit Pirna and the S177 exit Pirna-Copitz.

Surroundings and overnight

In addition to the overnight and camping options on site, there are numerous hotels and pensions in the town of Pirna, which can be reached quickly by taxi.

Flight operations

Flight operations take place every weekend from April to October. In addition to gliding , motor gliders and motorized flights, model airplanes and paragliders are also flown at Pirna-Pratzschwitz airfield , as well as parachuting on special occasions such as the Pirna City Festival .

Gliding

An ESW-2B electric winch with two plastic ropes and two steel ropes as well as a PZL-104 Wilga as a tow plane are available for starting . In the wind start towing heights of 400 to 500 m achieved easily.

In addition, the aeroclub is in the glider-1. Bundesliga represented. In 2015, the “Durchmarsch” project led to the promotion from the qualifying league to the second German glider league . In 2016 the promotion to the glider-1. Bundesliga reached.

See also

• List of German airfields

Web links

Commons : Flugplatz Pirna  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Website of the operator Aeroclub Pirna e. V.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ history . Aeroclub Pirna e. V, accessed February 19, 2016.