Turkish Aeronautical Association
Encyclopedia
Turkish Aeronautical Association is a non-profit organization with an aim of increasing public awareness and participation in aviation related activities and the national body governing air sports
in Turkey
. The association was founded with the name Türk Tayyare Cemiyeti (Turkish Aeroplane Society) by the directive of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
on February 16, 1925.
During the 1940s it operated a factory in Ankara
producing aircraft of its own design as well as under licence from British manufacturer Miles
. This manufacturing facilities were purchased in 1952 by MKEK, which produced the THK-15 design in quantity under the designation MKEK-4.
THK is a member of Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
(FAI) since 1929, and has been an active participant in international air sports events and championships, including the organization of the 1st World Air Games
hosted by THK in 1997.
also serves as the headquarters of THK. Throughout years, Türkkuşu trained many talented aviators including Sabiha Gökçen
, the adoptive daughter of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
, the first female Turkish aviator and the first female combat pilot of the world.
The center offers courses on:
, İzmir
offers courses in:
The center also participates in aerial firefighting
and agricultural chemical spraying
operations in the region.
Air sports
The term Air sports covers a range of aerial activities such as:* Aerobatics* Ballooning* General aviation including Air racing* Gliding* Hang gliding* Human powered aircraft* Model aircraft* Parachuting* Paragliding...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. The association was founded with the name Türk Tayyare Cemiyeti (Turkish Aeroplane Society) by the directive of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey....
on February 16, 1925.
During the 1940s it operated a factory in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
producing aircraft of its own design as well as under licence from British manufacturer Miles
Miles Aircraft
Miles was the name used to market the aircraft of British engineer Frederick George Miles, who designed numerous light civil and military aircraft and a range of curious prototypes...
. This manufacturing facilities were purchased in 1952 by MKEK, which produced the THK-15 design in quantity under the designation MKEK-4.
THK is a member of Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...
(FAI) since 1929, and has been an active participant in international air sports events and championships, including the organization of the 1st World Air Games
1997 World Air Games
1997 World Air Games was an international competition of air sports, held between September 15 - September 21, 1997 in Turkey, hosted by Turkish Aeronautical Association . It was the first of World Air Games organized by Fédération Aéronautique Internationale once every four years...
hosted by THK in 1997.
Türkkuşu Training Center
Türkkuşu Training Center in AnkaraAnkara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
also serves as the headquarters of THK. Throughout years, Türkkuşu trained many talented aviators including Sabiha Gökçen
Sabiha Gökçen
Sabiha Gökçen was a Turkish aviatrix. First Turkish female combat pilot, aged 23. She was one of the eight adopted children of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.- Early life :...
, the adoptive daughter of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey....
, the first female Turkish aviator and the first female combat pilot of the world.
The center offers courses on:
- Piloting
- ParachutingParachutingParachuting, also known as skydiving, is the action of exiting an aircraft and returning to earth with the aid of a parachute. It may or may not involve a certain amount of free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been deployed and the body gradually accelerates to terminal...
- GlidingGlidingGliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
- Construction and running of model aircraftModel aircraftModel aircraft are flying or non-flying models of existing or imaginary aircraft using a variety of materials including plastic, diecast metal, polystyrene, balsa wood, foam and fibreglass...
İnönü Training Center
Located in İnönü, Eskişehir, the center runs summer courses on the following air sports activities:- ParachutingParachutingParachuting, also known as skydiving, is the action of exiting an aircraft and returning to earth with the aid of a parachute. It may or may not involve a certain amount of free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been deployed and the body gradually accelerates to terminal...
- GlidingGlidingGliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
- BallooningHot air balloonThe hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
- ParaglidingParaglidingParagliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure...
- Hang glidingHang glidingHang gliding is an air sport in which a pilot flies a light and unmotorized foot-launchable aircraft called a hang glider ....
Selçuk (Ephesus) Training Center
This center in SelçukSelçuk
Selçuk is the central town of Selçuk district, İzmir Province in Turkey, 2 km northeast of Ephesus.Its original Greek name, Agios Theológos referred to John the Theologian. Under the Ottoman Empire, it was known as Ayasoluk...
, İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
offers courses in:
- Piloting
- ParachutingParachutingParachuting, also known as skydiving, is the action of exiting an aircraft and returning to earth with the aid of a parachute. It may or may not involve a certain amount of free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been deployed and the body gradually accelerates to terminal...
- Microlight training
The center also participates in aerial firefighting
Aerial firefighting
Aerial firefighting is the use of aircraft and other aerial resources to combat wildfires. The types of aircraft used include fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Smokejumpers and rappellers are also classified as aerial firefighters, delivered to the fire by parachute from a variety of fixed-wing...
and agricultural chemical spraying
Aerial application
Aerial application, commonly called crop dusting, involves spraying crops with fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides from an agricultural aircraft. The specific spreading of fertilizer is also known as aerial topdressing....
operations in the region.
External links
- Official website of THK (Turkish, English, and French)
- UÇANTÜRK, bimonthly journal of aeronautics and space published by THK