Major General James G. Blunt

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Soest-Bad Sassendorf Airfield (ICAO: EDLZ), located in the Sauerland region close to Soest and the Möhnesee, between the A 44 and B 1, is now a civilian airfield. It is rated / approved as a 'special landing site'. These are often used by private aero clubs. Unlike a commercial airfield, only the operators (and upon request also third parties) may take off and land. There is no obligation to operate, and therefore published opening times are not required.

In 2001, the airfield saw the launch of the Airfisch 8 ground effect vehicle, designed to fly only 0.1 to 2.5 metres (3.9 inches to 8 feet 2.4 inches) above the water's surface.[1][2]

Military history

Previously been used by the Royal Canadian Army from 1953 to 1971, in the latter part of the Cold War (from 1971 until mid-1994), 3 Regiment Army Air Corps (3 AAC) of the British Army was based here. 3 AAC operated Westland Scout AH1, Westland Gazelle AH1, and Westland Lynx AH1 and AH7 helicopters. AAC units based there included: 653, 654, 660, 662, and 663 squadrons. Following the drawdown of British Forces Germany (BFG), 3 Regiment Army Air Corps subsequently relocated to Wattisham Airfield, Suffolk, England.[3][4][5][6]

Site / services

The length of the airfield main runway is 820 metres (2,690 feet), while the glider winch launching distance is about 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) long. They are both grass runways, with headings 07/25. The traffic pattern runs south, as the northerly air space is reserved for skydivers. The airfield frequency is 122.600 MHz. There is a fuel station at the airfield with Avgas, Mogas, and Jet A-1 available.[7]

Flying operations

Two clubs are based here: the Flugsportgemeinschaft Soest e.V[8] (Soest Flying Club) operating powered aircraft and gliders, and the Fallschirmsportclub Soest-Bad Sassendorf e.V[9] (Soest-Bad Sassendorf Skydiving Club). There is also a gyrocopter flying school operating here, run by the Flugdienst Sauerland.[10] Flying is usually on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays (occasionally also on normal business days), weather permitting. The gliding season runs regularly from late March or early April to late October or early November. Powered flight takes place year-round.

The small airfield also holds flying days where aerobatics and stunts are presented by professional pilots and aerobatic pilots.[11]

  • Tower
    Tower
  • An ASK-13 glider ready for a winch launch at Soest
    An ASK-13 glider ready for a winch launch at Soest
  • View from control tower towards fuel station and windsock
    View from control tower towards fuel station and windsock

See also

References

  1. ^ "Luftfahrt: Fliegender Fisch" [Aviation: Flying fish]. www.Spiegel.de (in German). SPIEGEL Gruppe. 12 January 2001. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Part boat, part plane, the Airfisch about to make its debut". www.DigitalJournal.com. Digital Journal. 25 January 2001. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Army Air Corps in Germany". QRA-Magazin.de. Spotting Group Gütersloh. 4 August 2013. Archived from the original on 22 January 2017.
  4. ^ "British Army units from 1945 on: Major Units 1 to 4". British-Army-units1945on.co.uk.
  5. ^ "UK MoD: 3 Regiment Army Air Corps". www.Army.mod.uk. British Army.
  6. ^ "Helicopter history site: Soest, Bad Sassendorf". www.Helis.com.
  7. ^ "EDLZ". www.AirShampoo.de.
  8. ^ "Soester-Anzeiger". www.Soester-Anzeiger.de. 13 August 2010.
  9. ^ "Tandem Skydiving". www.TandemSpringen.de.
  10. ^ "Flugdienst Sauerland: Impressum|Kontakt|Anfahrt"., retrieved 5 November 2010.
  11. ^ "AirVenture". www.AirVenture.de.

External links

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soest-Bad_Sassendorf_Airfield