Turkkuşu Flight School

Türkkuşu Flight School, established on 3 May 1935 under the directives of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, is a flight school that played a significant role in the development of Turkish aviation. Operating as a unit of the Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK), Türkkuşu was founded to promote civil aviation, introduce young people to aviation, and train professional pilots.

Atatürk Turkish Bird Flight School (Turkish Aeronautical Association)

History

The origins of Türkkuşu trace back to the Turkish Aircraft Society, established on 16 February 1925 by order of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The society was created to advance Turkish aviation and guide youth toward this field. At its 6th Grand Congress on 24 May 1935, it changed its name to the Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK). Türkkuşu Flight School opened on 3 May 1935 at the Etimesgut campus in Ankara. Atatürk personally named the school “Türkkuşu” and emphasized the national importance of aviation in his opening speech.

In his address, he stated: “Just as the Turk walks and moves with knowledge and self-confidence through the mountains, forests, plains, and seas of his homeland, he must also be able to move with the same confidence across the skies of his nation. This begins by familiarizing the Turk with national birds from childhood and training him to compete within the atmosphere of his homeland.”

Türkkuşu’s initial activities began with glider and parachute schools. The first director of the Parachute School was Abdurrahman Türkkuşu, who had received parachute training in Russia. In 1936, a school named Tayyare Okulu was opened to provide powered aircraft training, marking the beginning of pilot training for the Turkish Armed Forces. From its founding, Türkkuşu introduced young people to aviation through glider, parachute, powered flight, and model aircraft schools.

Educational Activities and Infrastructure

Türkkuşu operates not only from its main campus in Etimesgut but also through training facilities in İnönü (Eskişehir), Efes, Karain (Antalya), and Erzincan. The İnönü High Glider Camp opened on 10 July 1936; the Etimesgut Powered Flight Camp and parachute towers in Ankara and İzmir were established in 1937. İnönü was chosen as a gliding center due to its favorable geographical and wind conditions. Evaluations by Vecihi Hürkuş regarding the geographical features between Eskişehir and Bursa, along with assessments by Russian aviation expert Sergei Anokhin, played a decisive role in selecting İnönü for this purpose.

From 1936 onward, Türkkuşu trained pilots for the Turkish Armed Forces through powered aircraft instruction. Sabiha Gökçen, one of the first students at Türkkuşu’s Tayyare Okulu and later the world’s first female combat pilot, also served as an administrator at the school. The institution organized training in various air sports including gliding, parachuting, paramotoring, paragliding, and model aircraft. In 1996, the Very Light Aircraft School was established, offering training in balloons, hang gliders, and paragliders.

Türkkuşu’s educational infrastructure was supported by gliders produced at the Akköprü Workshop under THK and British Miles Magister aircraft assembled at the facility, which was converted into a factory in 1940. The Etimesgut Aircraft Factory was established between 1939 and 1941. From 1944 onward, THK produced the THK-1, THK-3, THK-4, THK-7, THK-9, and THK-13 gliders, as well as the THK-2, THK-5, and THK-10 aircraft for training, medical, and transport purposes. Additionally, Turkey’s first engine factory, established by THK at Gazi Forest Farm, operated until 1951 and was transferred to the Machine and Chemical Industry Corporation in 1952.

Achievements and Contributions

Since its founding, Türkkuşu has trained thousands of pilots, glider pilots, parachutists, and air sports enthusiasts. On 12 June 1938, Türkkuşu instructor Emrullah Ali Yıldız set a world record with a glider flight lasting 14 hours and 20 minutes. His student Ziya Aydoğan achieved a significant milestone by flying 466 kilometers from the İnönü Training Center to Kayseri in a glider. On 10 July 1936, Vecihi Hürkuş broke a record by remaining airborne for 5 hours and 45 minutes in the PS-2 glider.

THK became a member of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) in 1929 and represented Turkey in air sports. In 1953, it joined the International Association of Air Cadets (IACE), and in 1998, it became a member of the European Air Sports Association (EASA). Türkkuşu organized the 1995 World Parachute Championship, the 1996 Test Competitions for the 1st World Air Games, and the 1997 1st World Air Games, which attracted 3,200 athletes from 61 countries.

Turkish Air Games were held in 2000, 2002, and 2004. On 19 June 2004, THK parachute instructor Hakan Zengin entered the Guinness Book of World Records by performing a parachute jump with a flag measuring 433.5 square meters. In 2004, Funda Durusu won a gold medal at the 4th FAI World Paragliding Target Championship. In the same year, ten wingsuit parachutists made history by flying from Europe to Asia during the Eurasia Marathon.

Türkkuşu also played a role in the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation. During the operation, parachutists trained by THK participated in airborne insertion missions, and the institution’s aircraft and pilots were deployed. Starting in 1985, THK began aerial firefighting operations, utilizing Türkkuşu’s training infrastructure.

Current Role and Institutional Development

Today, Türkkuşu operates under the name THK Flight Academy. Pilot training in accordance with the regulations of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation is provided at training centers in Ankara, İzmir, and Antalya. The academy has trained approximately 7,000 pilots and supplies personnel to airline companies. Established in 2011, Turkish Aeronautical Association University is Turkey’s first specialized university in aviation and space sciences. It operates through academic units in Ankara and İzmir Selçuk. THK Flight Academy provides education to students of the Pilotage Department under the university.

THK established the THK Aviation Foundation in 2010 and began aircraft maintenance operations in 2013 through THK Technical Inc. The organization generates income from public donations, sacrificial animal skins, fitre, zakat, and voluntary contributions. Türkkuşu continues to provide personnel, technical knowledge, and equipment support to civil aviation companies.

Türkkuşu has played a central role in Turkish aviation education and development since 1935. Founded on the vision of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the institution introduced thousands of young people to aviation through glider, parachute, and powered flight training, earning international recognition through world records and achievements. Continuing its activities through campuses in Etimesgut, İnönü, Karain, and other facilities, Türkkuşu contributes to the aviation sector today through THK Flight Academy and THK University. The history of Türkkuşu encapsulates the institutional development of Türkiye in the field of aviation.