Air Sports in Türkiye

Türkiye is a country which should be discovered by fond of air sports such as Paragliding , Glider, Parachute and Balloon.

•    Paragliding
•    Delta Wings
•    Balloon
•    Micro light
•    Glider
•    Parachute

Paragliding
Paragliding sport is to take off by means of running from a high hill instead of plane with a parachute similar to free style jumping parachute on the first look. Parachute, which is lied on a inclined and high hill, is filled with air with the running of pilot and take off with pilot. Periods of the flights can continue for kilometers / hours in connection with the experience of pilot and performance of the materials used. Although it can be for single person, there is two persons ( tandem ) wings.

Paragliding , whose first trial had been made in 1940s, and numerously modified till today. There were lots of structural improvements which has increased the flight period and security of perform. First paragliding was similar to free style diving parachute. It had turned into an aerophyl structure which has high raising power instead of its pressure enduring characteristic with changing in time. Paragliding parachute wing structure had reached to its appropriate shape for easy to take off, slowly descending ratio and good flying performance, beginning from 1980s.

Paragliding Sport in our country had been recognized with the discover by foreign pilots of Mount Baba in Fethiye, Ölüdeniz (Blue Lagoon) region at the beginning of 1990s, and actively started in university clubs initially. Being the most economical aerial vessel and being inside the natural sports, maintained it to be performed by a massive number of people today. Paragliding Parachute Sport, which does not require a special skill or much effort basically, is very easy and enjoying to do after a standard training. Paragliding training are organized by THK, university clubs and private clubs.

Delta Wings
Delta wings is a single person flight vehicle which can fly with wind and other air impacts and has no motor. Take off, stay on air and take off area is similar to paragliding . But there is more training period for flight. There is a person connected parachute for security.

Flight Regions
Delta wing sport can also be performed at the places where paragliding can be performed.

Structure
Wings delta wing has approximately 25 - 30 kg weight, and 10 wing long when it is opened. (folded up standard 4 m) There are beginner, intermediate and advanced class wings. Beginner class training wings are used during training, when experience gained intermediate class wings can be used for flight. But for advanced level models, long time experience and flights are required. Wing is speed up when you come through advanced level in models, and control of the wing become harder.
Take Off beginning to flight in our country, is to run with shouldering wings from flight hill under appropriate weather conditions. For gaining altitude, generally there must be hill facing, in other words coming from opposite direction, winds are required. In another method thermal, meaning hot air columns ascending from ground, are used. While this hot air is ascending it rises delta circulating within it together.

Balloon
Flight via balloon sport, whose initial existence in the world reaches to the end of 18th century, is also densely drawing attention in our country. For long years, as well as it is performed with the aim of individual sports, city tours with balloons are also performed during regional activities in touristic regions of our country.

Balloon takes off with heating of liquid propane gas filled into it. You can stay on air for long periods with a calm flight under appropriate wind (under 10 km/h). Directing balloon, whose appropriate flight height is between 500 - 1500 feet, altitude gain and loss, change its speed can be made easily by an experienced pilot easily.

Structure of the Balloon
There are propane gas tubes, altimeter, thermometer, wireless for communication with airport, variometer and fire extinguishers in the basket, manufactured from "vimin", generally a light and synthetic material, and which carries the passangers of the balloon.

Propane tubes, with approximately 20 kg. weight each within the basket, includes propane gas maintaining the expand of the balloon. Each tube maintains an approximately 40 - 45 minutes of flight possibility to the balloon. Total lifting force of the balloon is around 1.700 pounds.

Taking off of the balloon is maintained with heating of propane gas filled into the balloon via furnaces under it. Furnaces can be 2 or 3 pieces according to the volume of the balloon. Heat within the balloon should never exceed 120 degrees.

For maintaining landing with stopping flight, red rope is pulled within it. In this way, activated falling valve maintains the air within it run out rapidly. In case of insufficiency of emptying speed of the internal air emergency hole at the top of the balloon is opened.

Flight Rules for Foreigners

Prior to the flight via balloon, air vessel to be flight registration sign, flight aim, flight date, flight hour, flight region is informed and applied to Ministry of Communication, Civil Aviation General Directorate.

In case of a flight via balloon exceeding 15 days in our country; licenses of foreign pilots should be validated by Ministry of Communication, Civil Aviation General Directorate.

Micro light
Micro light is a very basic motorized flying vessel. Micro light, which is very easy to learn and use with basic motor structure can be for single or two persons. Command panel and indicator table is not complex. There is no importance of landing and take off runways, it can land and take off within short distances.

Micro light, can fly without motor like delta wings and glider after take off due to its aerodynamic structure. In this way, it can fly for longer hours with smaller amounts of fuel - oil.

Micro light flight is performed in our country like all countries of the world. For flying with micro light in Turkey, you should apply to Turkish Aviation Organization or aviation clubs.

Glider
Glider, is a flight vessel whose fly is maintained via pull of another motorized plane or rapid pull via a steel rope connected to a motor outside the runway.
Glider is separated from pulling rope by its pilot when it reaches to a certain altitude and begins to its free flight. Its appearance and functions of the commands are similar to the other motorized planes. But air conditions have more importance.
As glider has no motor, it has a special wing design. Special design of its wing profiles, being its wings big and wide gains glider a great rising force. Staying on air and flight of glider is maintained by air files. Air files formed during forward flight position of glider establish turbulence over wings by means of upper wings profile cross section, and also air files form a lifting force under wings due to wing under profile cross section. Thus, staying on air and flight is maintained, it can land and take off within a very short distance.
Cockpit of the glider can be for one or two persons. There are pedal, maintaining vertical axis movement of glider, and lever, maintaining vertical movement of glider in the cockpit. Other than these, there are subsidiary flight commands which will change the speed of the glider. There is also a wireless which will maintain the communication between glider and ground in the glider.
Inventor of the first glider in the world is known as Otto LILIENTAL, who had died during a trial flight on 1886 Otto LILIENTAL. Today glider sport is one of the most liked and performed air sports in Europe and the World. It is one of the oldest air sports in Turkey, Glider Flight School is opened in 1935.

Parachute
Turkish Aviation Organization and aviation clubs are serving training for parachuting sports.

Falling Zones
Ankara: Administrative center of parachute school, is working under Türkkuşu General Directorate, which is the executive organ of Turkish Aviation Organization in Ankara. Due to being air traffic very dense there is no possibility for frequent falls but in special days and for training of staff parachuting is made.

Inönü: It is the main training center, in which activities of parachute school are densely performed during summer months. It is 40 km away from Eskişehir, and it is one of the regions on which all of the aviation activities at the same time and having training and accommodation facilities.

Efes: It is 70 km away from İzmir, and 15 km away from Kuşadası, and adjacent to Efes ruins and Meryem Ana church, and a touristic falling center hosting to especially parachute competitions with 1760 m long asphalt runway.