Sources
- S1 — Simons, Martin. Sailplanes 1920-1945. Eqip Werbung & Verlag, 2006. ISBN 978-3-9806773-4-9.
- S2 — Hütter, Ulrich. Flugzeugbau in Deutschland: Die Segelflugzeuge von Alexander Schleicher. Motorbuch Verlag, 2003. ISBN 978-3-613-02302-4.
In 1927, at the foot of the windswept Wasserkuppe peak in the Rhön mountains, master glider pilot and craftsman Alexander Schleicher founded Segelflugzeugbau Schleicher. Recognized in aviation history as one of the world’s oldest active sailplane manufacturers, Schleicher pioneered cantilevered high-aspect-ratio spruce wings, composite laminar fuselages, and competition gliders, establishing Poppenhausen as a celebrated center of motorless flight.
The Cradle of the Rhön: Alexander Schleicher and the Wasserkuppe (1927)
Following the Treaty of Versailles restrictions on powered aircraft in Germany, pilots and aerodynamic scientists turned to the windy, treeless plateau of the Wasserkuppe (950m) to study atmospheric thermal currents and unpowered soaring. In 1927, at the age of 26, cabinetmaker and glider pilot Alexander Schleicher (1901–1968) set up his sailplane manufacturing business in Poppenhausen, at the foot of the Wasserkuppe. The first type he built in series was the *Hol’s der Teufel* (“the devil take it”).
Collaborating with aerodynamicists such as Alexander Lippisch and Arthur Martens, Schleicher handcrafted lightweight spruce and birch plywood monoplanes that pushed the boundaries of gliding endurance and distance records across Europe.
From Spruce Spars to Carbon Fiber Champions: A Century of Sailplane Art
Under renowned designer Rudolf Kaiser, Schleicher produced foundational gliders including the Ka 6, K 7, and the widely used ASK 13 dual trainer, training generations of soaring pilots worldwide. Transitioning to fiberglass and carbon fiber composites with Gerhard Waibel, Schleicher’s ASW and ASH series claimed numerous World Gliding Championship titles.
Still family-owned and building sailplanes in Poppenhausen, Alexander Schleicher approaches its 1927–2027 centenary as an enduring living workshop of motorless flight heritage.
Pioneers of Soaring: Wooden Glider Construction and Bungee-Launched Sailplanes
Original historical newsreel from the Istituto Luce Cinecittà Archive capturing the pioneers of motorless flight, hand-crafted spruce sailplanes, and ridge-soaring trials in the 1920s; this is period footage illustrating the era of silent flight and does not show Alexander Schleicher. (Source: Historical Archive Istituto Luce Cinecittà / Period Newsreels)
Interactive 360° Street View: Wasserkuppe Segelflugplatz & Cradle of Rhön Soaring (Historic Schleicher Testing Field)
Historical Location: Wasserkuppe 2, 36129 Gersfeld (Rhön), Hesse, Germany (Coordinates: 50.4981, 9.9481)
