Type | Non-profit |
Founded | 1920 |
Headquarters |
Aachen, Germany
|
Membership | Students and university faculty |
Field | Aviation research |
Key personnel | Theodore von Kármán, Wolfgang Klemperer, Ilse Kober, Theodor Bienen, Hermann Mayer, Dr.-Ing. H. Stein, Prof. Dr.-Ing. A.-W. Quick |
Website | www |
Flugwissenschaftliche Vereinigung Aachen (abbreviation: FVA, English: Flight Research Association Aachen) is a non-profit organization, founded in 1920, which is closely associated to RWTH Aachen University (Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule – Aachen), with members consisting of RWTH Aachen students, which have included Felix Kracht. FVA supports and organizes various training courses for flight training, handling of composites and other aircraft materials including steel and aluminum.
Projects handled include research into alternative flaps configuration for Airbus aircraft. As a reward for work carried out in the laboratories and workshops at FVA, 300 hours per annum minimum, each student is granted free flying at the FVA gliding club. Training at the gliding club includes flying gliders, and glider tugs as well as flying instructor training, workshop supervisors and parachute packers. The FVA is under the wing of IDAFLIEG (Interessengemeinschaft deutscher akademischer Fliegergruppen e.V. - interest group for academic flying groups) and takes part in the Summer and Winter camps and seminars organised by IDAFLIEG. Through designing, constructing and flight testing of aircraft and research projects the students can complete their studies, publishing results and theses and gaining valuable skills knowledge and experience.
The glider fleet at FVA Aachen includes a high performance two-seat DG-1000 training glider, Schleicher ASH 25E open class two-seater, Glasflügel 205 Club Libelle and Glasflügel 206 Hornet club class gliders, as well as a Schleicher ASW 28-18 18m class sailplane, all of which can be flown by suitably qualified students. A Robin DR400 for towing the sailplanes is also owned by the FVA.
The FVA has undertaken the following development projects:
The anticipated improvements/advantages include: