Tannkosh 2011 - "Touch heaven, kiss a pilot"

Tannkosh 2011

"Tannkosh" has become cult. 

Being the "small scale" Euro-Version of the annual Air Venture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the name "Tannkosh" is just a marketing gag. EDMT Tannheim,  a small familiy owned 800m grass strip airfield in southern Germany has been hosting an annual fly-inn, and calls itself "Tannkosh" since many years to explicitly display it´s role as the #1 German and in fact  European General Aviation event of that kind.

Piper PA-18 Formation Display with a low approach at Tannkosh 2011

The host Matthias Dolderer, him being a famous Red Bull Air Race and world class aerobatics pilot is so well connected in the General Aviation as well as the aerobatics professionals world that "being at Tannkosh" has developed into a prestigious almost mandatory event for GA enthusiasts.

Spectacular displays and aerobatic performances can be expected and the 2011 edition did not disappoint! 
Click  to view more spectacular Tannkosh images including the low approaches of an Airbus 380 and a Swiss Breitling Lookheed Super Constellation.

Matthias Dolderer performing a 3-Point Landing after his Aerobatic Stunt

The weather was hot&humid on Friday, cold and rainy on Saturday and friendly on Sonday again for departure. I particpated the first time this year not yet flying in myself (based on my license check ride scheduled one week AFTER Tannkosh), but I flew back in a Piper Tomahawk and had plenty of time to test my new Lightspeed ZULU headset on the way back.

"Backside" Weather on Sat. Evening after the storm front passed

On the way home we stopped at EDER Wasserkuppe another spot filled with aviation history as the birth place of the German sailplane legacy and tradition and passed the Wartburg at Eisenach, the very hiding place of Martin Luther, where he created the first German translated version of the bible in 1522.

Historic Biplane taxiing to Rwy. 06 at EDER Wasserkuppe

Wasserkuppe with a 90ft slope and 3000ft elevation demands to always start on Rwy. 06 downhill, which meant 14kts tailwind on that day. Although fully loaded and fueled our PA-38 performed well and we got home after 3h10 net flight time which is a good performance for 280nm.

Wartburg Castle near Eisenach