Saturday 22nd June was warm and sunny. Flygplatz Bienenfarm in Germany was hosting the 36th meeting of Piper classic aircraft – Pipertreffen. Not only Piper classic, but all aeroplanes were welcome. 140 aircraft were registered for this event; some didn’t come, others came without prior registration; we were around 150 aeroplanes in total.
During morning briefing the program for the day was announced. We could choose to go by a pre-booked bus to an excursion to the military aviation museum in Berlin, to fly to a nearby airport of Stoelln/Rhinow to see the Otto Lilienthal memorial, to participate in some competitions in Bienenfarm (like precision landing, etc.), or just relax in the sun and do nothing.
Vagn and I decided to fly to Stoelln/Rhinow. I’ve heard about the place from Peter, my Swedish pilot-friend, with whom I was flying in Germany and Czech Republic for about 3 weeks ago. Peter recommended the place, I remembered his story, and Stoelln/Rhinow was on my wish list.
We taxied in a long queue, after Thomas, our fellow countryman, who came to Bienenfarm from Denmark in his beautiful Piper Cub Special, OY-BSS, called “Bessie”:
We flew in a close formation all together. There were lots of thermals on our way, but no turbulence, and we sometimes were jumping up and down in the air.
In Stoelln/Rhinow, we were welcomed by a flock of goats and sheep. Their guardian dog was fearlessly barking at us – he did a good job protecting the flock.
Stoelln/Rhinow is special: it is the oldest airport in the world, known from 1894. The history of aviation began here, when Otto Lilienthal, the German aviation pioneer, found a sloping sandy hill of at least 20 metres high that allowed him to take off in a glider in any direction. On our way to the memorial we saw an IL-62 (more about it later), but first we wanted to pay tribute to Otto Lilienthal.
The top of the hill from which Otto Lilienthal did his flights. He was the first person to make well-documented, repeated, successful flights with gliders.
On 9th August 1896, his glider stalled and he was unable to regain control. Falling from about 50 ft, he broke his neck and died the next day, 10th August 1896. This is the place of his crash:
Otto Lilienthal was buried in Lankwitz cemetery in Berlin. The inscription “Sacrifices have to be made!” was added to the grave in 1940. According to a legend, these were Lilienthal’s last words, although eye-witnesses reported otherwise. Berlin’s busiest airport, Berlin Tegel “Otto Lilienthal” airport, is named after him.
To mark the anniversary of 100 years of human flight in 1991 an Ilyushin IL-62 of Interflug, the state airline of DDR at that time, was sent to Stoelln. On 23rd October 1989, the aircraft landed successfully on 900 m long grass runway. It was named Lady Agnes after Otto Lilienthal’s wife Agnes and today serves as a registry office and a museum. People get married in that aircraft, and photographed on the wing.
Thomas and Vagn in front of the IL-62 Lady Agnes:
We were around 30 aircraft that went for this tour to Stoelln. The zebra-painted one on the photo below is a Czech Zlin, an ultralight version. I was very interested, also in a trial flight, so I spoke to the owner, and he gave me lots of good information. Later that evening he kindly offered me a flight over Berlin. It was my plan to fly over Berlin the day after, and therefore I politely declined – so that someone else could have this pleasure instead.
When all returned back, the results from flying competitions in Bienenfarm and the winners were announced:
In the afternoon I was hanging around with Sebastian and Ferdinand, fellow pilots from the Holbæk flying club, who came in a gorgeous Piper Colt:
Vagn was drinking beers having a stroll between the lines of Piper Cubs:
After dinner we had a group photo taken by a Bienenfarm’ photographer:
It was a very nice day we all enjoyed: wonderful friendly atmosphere, people sharing the same passion, interesting and well-organised events, great food and good weather. One couldn’t wish for more.
We watched the sunset by a fireplace, feeling grateful for being pilots…