Angelika Machinek (17 November 1956 – 12 October 2006) was a German glider pilot. She was five times German gliding champion and broke nine FIA gliding world records, four in the D1M class, four in D15 and one in DO. She was also a dramaturge and published writer.

Angelika Machinek
Angelika Machinek shortly before her death in 2006
Born(1956-11-17)17 November 1956
Died12 October 2006(2006-10-12) (aged 49)
near Echzell, Hesse, Germany
OccupationPilot

Life

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Angelika Machinek was born on 17 November 1956 in the village of Eschershausen in the district of Holzminden.[1][2] She studied sociology and German at University of Göttingen and received her doctorate in modern German literature from Goethe University Frankfurt in 1985. She subsequently worked as a dramaturge and author on topics including the Göttingen Seven.[3]

At the age of 14, she started gliding, gaining her pilot’s license in 1973, aerobatic license in 1979 and instructor’s license in 1980.[2] She competed at national and international level, being named German Champion five times, in 1994 at Marpingen, 1998 at Jena, 2000 at Neresheim, 2004 at Klix and 2006 at Coburg. She won the Elly-Beinhorn Rally in 1998, the first International Hexencup in 2003 and the first International Flatland Cup in Szeged, Hungary, in 2006. The FAI Gliding Commission presented her with the Pelagia Majewska Gliding Medal in 2000 for her achievements.[4]

Dr Machinek was killed, aged 49, near Echzell in Hesse.[1] She crashed while flying a microlight.[5]

World Records

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Dr Machinek has held a total of nine gliding records in three different classes as recognised by the FAI Gliding Commission.

Date Class Type of record Record Aircraft Notes
14 December 1996 D1-M Speed over a triangular course of 300 km 139.97 km/h (86.97 mph) Schleicher ASW 24 E Retired by change in code[6]
15 December 1996 D1-M Triangle distance 582.85 km (362.17 mi) Schleicher ASW 24 E Retired by change in code[6]
15 December 1996 D1-M Speed over a triangular course of 500 km 129.43 km/h (80.42 mph) Schleicher ASW 24 E Retired by change in code[7]
7 January 1997 D1-M Speed over a triangular course of 100 km 142.4 km/h (88.5 mph) Schleicher ASW 24 E Retired by change in code[8]
18 December 1998 D15 Speed over an out-and-return course of 500 km 136.59 km/h (84.87 mph) Schempp-Hirth Discus [9]
22 December 1998 D15 Speed over a triangular course of 750 km 119.79 km/h (74.43 mph) Schempp-Hirth Discus [10]
5 January 1999 DO Speed over a triangular course of 1000 km 126.09 km/h (78.35 mph) Schleicher ASH 25 E [11]
6 December 2002 D15 Speed over a triangular course of 100 km 142.4 km/h (88.5 mph) Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2cM [12]
6 December 2002 D15 Speed over a triangular course of 300 km 153.8 km/h (95.6 mph) Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2cM [13]

Publications

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  • Machinek, Angelika. B. Traven und Max Stirner: der Einfluss Stirners auf Ret Marut-B. Traven : eine literatursoziologische Untersuchung zur Affinitat ihrer Weltanschauungen. Göttingen: Davids Drucke, 1986.
  • Machinek, Angelika. Dann wird Gehorsam zum Verbrechen: die Göttinger Sieben, ein Konflikt um Obrigkeitswillkür und Zivilcourage. Göttingen : Steidl (in collaboration with Göttingen Theatre), 1989.
  • Wallraff, Günter; Angelika Machinek. Wallraff war da: ein Lesebuch. Göttingen : Steidl, 1989.

Legacy

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Dr Machinek was a strong advocate of women’s gliding and a fund to promote women glider pilots was set up as a legacy for her on 6 January 2007.[4] In 2016, a road in Bockenheim was also named after her.[1] In 2017, a path on the Ith was named Angelika Machinek Weg in her honour.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Hubert, Denis (2016). "Gedenken an herausragende Fliegerin" [Memory of an Outstanding Aviator]. Frankfurter Rundshau (in German). Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  2. ^ a b Probst, Ernst (2010). Angelika Machinek - Eine Segelfliegerin der Weltklasse [Angelika Machinek - A World Class Glider Pilot] (in German). Munich: Grin-Verl. p. 11. ISBN 978-3-64073-630-0.
  3. ^ Probst, 2010, p.12
  4. ^ a b "Dr. Angelika Machinek – Fliegerischer Lebenslauf" [Dr Angelika Machinek – Flying CV] (in German). Dr. Angelika Machinek Förderverein Frauensegelflug e.V. 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Ith-Wiesen-Weg nach Segelfluglegende Angelika Machinek benannt" [Ith-Wiesen Path Named after Gliding Legend Angelika Machinek]. Weser-Ith News (in German). 6 September 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Angelika Machinek (GER) (3906)". World Air Sports Federation. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Angelika Machinek (GER) (3907)". World Air Sports Federation. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  8. ^ "Angelika Machinek (GER) (3966)". World Air Sports Federation. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Angelika Machinek (GER) (5896)". World Air Sports Federation. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  10. ^ "Angelika Machinek (GER) (5897)". World Air Sports Federation. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  11. ^ "Angelika Machinek (GER) (5894)". World Air Sports Federation. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  12. ^ "Angelika Machinek (GER) (7575)". World Air Sports Federation. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  13. ^ "Angelika Machinek (GER) (7581)". World Air Sports Federation. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2019.