Aviation Association Mainz
The Aviation Association Mainz eV was founded in 1952 (the first Mainz aviation club, the “Verein für Flugwesen Mainz”, predecessor of today's Aviation Association, was entered in the Mainz register of associations on June 12, 1911).
The club currently has around 500 members who are divided into the three specialist groups motorized flight , microlight flight and glider flight , making it the largest air sports club in Rhineland-Palatinate.
In three specialist groups, training takes place up to the pilot's license ( JAR-FCL - PPL-A , LAPL-A , GPL and SPL ).
history
In 1909 Jacob Goedecker from Mainz began his first flight attempts on the Gonsenheimer Sand. 1911 was Anthony Fokker (the founder of the Fokker aircraft factory ) as factory pilot and flight instructor for Goedecker Aircraft operates.
The first Mainz aviation club, the “Aviation Association Mainz”, the predecessor of today's aviation club, was entered in the Mainz register of associations on June 12, 1911. The association organized flight events and sightseeing flights on the Great Sand before 1914.
The glider took in Mainz in 1927 with the establishment of "community of interest for flight sports" its beginning. The flight operations were u. a. carried out on the Großer Sand , the Platte near Wiesbaden and the Mainz-Wiesbaden airfield (Erbenheim).
In 1930 there was already a ladies' glider group Mainz-Wiesbaden, which built their own glider , a Kassel 20, and thus took part in the 13th Rhön competition on the Wasserkuppe in 1932 .
After the war, aviation enthusiasts got together as early as 1950 and initially started building model aircraft, as all civil German air traffic was banned by the Allies after the war. When gliding was permitted again, the Aero Club Mainz was founded in the Electoral Palace in 1951 , from which the Luftfahrtverein Mainz eV emerged in 1952.
Flight operations began in September 1952 at Mainz-Finthen airfield, initially with the SG 38 school glider and the newly acquired Focke-Wulf Kranich III , a high-performance two-seater. A year later, the double room for beginners' training was added.
In 1953, Mayor Franz Stein christened "Kranich III" with the name "Mainz". At the end of the 1953 season, 3260 starts had already been made. This was of course only possible thanks to the tireless efforts of the members. In the winter months, the Olympic titmouse was built in-house.
In 1957, a Schleicher "Ka 3" and in 1960 a Schleicher K 8b were added to the aircraft fleet as further self-built aircraft.
The first motorized aircraft to be purchased was a Piper "J 3C" with 65 hp in 1966, which was later replaced by a much more powerful Piper "PA 12".
Today the association owns 6 powered aircraft , 6 gliders and 3 microlights .
Club members own a further (approx.) 60 powered aircraft, several powered gliders and 15 gliders stationed at the Mainz-Finthen airfield .