About us

We are a group of university students from Karlsruhe who have set themselves the goal of conducting research and development work in the field of aviation. Our motto is: “Students research, build, fly!” In line with this motto, our members volunteer their free time for Akaflieg projects according to their interests and abilities. Akaflieg Karlsruhe’s project work focuses on the design, construction and testing of gliders.

Every active member of the Akaflieg contributes at least 300 working hours per year in the engineering office, in the workshop, in the e-laboratory, in the administrative office or in public relations. For every student, this activity is an enrichment of their knowledge. As a rule, our members are active for around 4 years. In this relatively short period of time, they receive intensive flying training, are taught manual skills and learn independent problem solving or even how to coordinate complicated tasks as a project manager. Involvement in the Akaflieg teaches key skills such as organizational skills, project planning, teamwork and creativity, which is also rewarded when looking for a position in the job market.

Research

Breathing life into an idea, putting it to the test – that’s what we mean by research. Preliminary tests are carried out and the first drawings are created at the CAD workstation. In the group, suggestions for improvement are put forward, discussed and rejected or implemented. Are the legal requirements and approval criteria being met?

Building

The workshop is the place where most of our members contribute their efforts to the group. This is where our glider prototypes are created from synthetic resin, carbon fiber fabric and countless hours of work. This is also where our aircraft fleet is maintained and our club car and winch are serviced. Our workshop also offers the opportunity to train in the use of modern materials and machines. This usually starts with a workshop briefing. More experienced members are happy to pass on their knowledge, so previous experience is not necessary!

Flying

On the other hand, we are also a ‘ordinary’ gliding club. You can learn to fly gliders with us at almost no cost. Our volunteer flight instructors provide sound training in theory and practice. Our glider fleet with four single-seaters and two two-seaters ensures that you have plenty of opportunity to fly with us beyond the training. Whether it’s a short flight above Karlsruhe, cross-country flights of several hundred kilometers, aerobatics or alpine gliding, we have something for everyone! And last but not least, flying also means flight testing: we evaluate our constructions in flight and carry out measurements.

The cycle of “researching, building, flying” closes. New questions arise and research can begin again…