The Establishment Story of Türkkuşu

The Establishment Story:

Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, the great leader, predicted that aviation, which he saw as a priority for the preparation of the Turkish youth to the future in the best way, to which he entrusted the newly established republic, predicted that the Turkish youth would achieve it at the highest level with the talent and dexterity, and immediately after the establishment of the newly established Republic of Turkey, 16 February. He founded the Turkish Aircraft Society in 1925.

The Turkish Aircraft Society, which will carry Turkish aviation into the future, was organized throughout the country in a short time in order to strengthen the development of Turkish aviation, and started its service in a short time, and aviation activities were started throughout the country. In line with the laws enacted since the day it was founded, the revenues of the Turkish Aeronautical Association have been secured by the sacrifice skins, fitters, zakats, donation envelopes sent to schools, donations collected by students, and individual donations made by Turkish people in love with this country.

ATATÜRK, who wanted Turkish youth to learn everything about aviation in a scientific way by managing the studies with a systematic education and awareness, opened the TÜRKKUŞU FLIGHT SCHOOL on May 3, 1935 in our Etimesgut campus, which is currently operating, and changed the name of the society to TURKISH AIR INSTITUTION.

Atatürk Names the Flight School 'Türk Kuşu':

Atatürk wanted Turkish youth to learn flying, gliding, parachuting, in short, everything related to aviation from the best teachers in a scientific way, by doing experiments. First the glider school, then the parachute school became operational. Türkkuşu, which he named himself, would now be at the disposal of the civil aviation youth.

Abdurrahman Türkkuşu, who received parachuting training in Russia, was the first director of the flight school.

Vecihi Hürkuş tells: At the beginning of April; I came to Ankara by jumping on my plane and visited my Reverend Chief in his office in the center. During this visit, the first words of Fuat Bulca (the first Chairman of THK) to me were as follows:

“Welcome Vecihi, of course you have information about the TÜRKKUŞU formation. The work and sacrifices you endured on the road to aviation have never left my mind for a single moment. Now the way you paved, the Turkish bird that has occurred will work and your ideal civil aviation will quickly take place in our country.

After that, neither money nor deprivation nor any other reason, never remember it. The only support of this formation is the entire Turkish existence. Let me see you, work with all your knowledge and energy and train the youth in aviation.” The joy that was knotted inside me was overflowing, I kissed the honorable hands of Fuat Bey, who has a compassionate father's spirit.

“Oh, stop. Vecihi let me tell you the following point” and said:

“The opening ceremony of Türkkuşu will be held at the beginning of May. Review this ceremony schedule and work with friends to get everything ready, then you will speak on behalf of aviation at this ceremony. This right is yours more than anyone else's. Prepare something for this and bring it to me.” I got your order. This compliment created a new peace in me and I left my chief with joy.”

Sabiha Gökçen explains in her memoirs:

“On the morning of May 3, 1935, Atatürk got up very early, dressed in his favorite sports suit, and took his cap. Happiness flowed from his face. To me:

“Come on, Gökçen, we are going. Today is a feast day for us. It is also a holiday in which we will inaugurate an organization that we will be proud of in the future. We are opening Türkkuşu, a subordinate of the Turkish Aeronautical Association. We will train thousands, hundreds of thousands of young aviators there. Take Zehra and come together," he said.

There was a large crowd at the airport. The young were excited, the middle-aged were proud. When Atatürk came to the podium to make his opening speech, the crowd was moaning with applause. As Atatürk talked, I felt like I was getting wings. After the speech, there were glider flight demonstrations and parachute jumps. Watching these closely was really fascinating, and it was driving excitement to excitement. I started to take an interest in aviation. Atatürk leaned into my ear for a while and asked: “Gökçen, I see you are very excited about these shows. Movements interested you a lot. How can you glide and parachute in such weather?" I shook my head and said: “You are right, Pasha. I was really excited and really liked these shows. I wish I was in their place”. Upon my answer, he smiled sweetly and said: “I like your courage. After saying, "Aviation will really suit his surname, Gökçen," he turned to Fuat Bulca, the Chairman of the Turkish Aeronautical Association, who was standing next to him, and made the following suggestion: "Mr. Fuat, our Gökçen also wants to jump with a parachute. It is forged in an iron temper. Since he wants it, then let him start this work right away.”

Fuat Bey, "You command me, Pasha"

The future is in the skies:

Then the Great Leader came to the podium and gave a very exciting speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Our world - you know - is made of earth, water and air. Aren't these the essential elements of life? The lack of one of these elements makes it impossible to experience not only the deficiency, but only the disorder. Every day, he should increase his interest in the air, as well as in the lands and seas of the country, which loves life, especially the national life, and wants to protect it. This interest comes from the dominance of the life elements I have mentioned.

In this age we live in, people are no longer alone on land and in the sea. They immersed themselves in the air existence of nature. It has been realized that breathing air alone is not enough for life, for living. Air dominance, which is necessary and real, has come to the fore. The Turkish nation should have taken its place in this field, which all nations were trying to establish with great importance.

The government of the Republic of Turkey has decided to make aviation a function of the whole nation. The Turkish should be able to walk in the skies of his homeland in the same way as he walks and walks with self-confidence and knowledge in the mountains, forests, plains, seas and every corner of his country. This starts with getting the Turk accustomed to the race with the homeland birds from his childhood, in the atmosphere of the homeland. The reason that gathers us here today is that sacred initiation ceremony. Turkish boy, you will fill your place in the sky waiting for you at the highest level in aviation, as in every job, in a short time. Our true friends will rejoice, and the Turkish nation will be happy.”

Reinforcing the importance he attaches to aviation with the phrase "The future is in the skies", Atatürk concluded his words by saying, "The Government of the Republic is determined to make aviation a function of the whole nation" in his proud speech.

Conclusion:

Turkish youth, who set out with the vision of their ancestors, began to break records in aviation, worthy of the trust placed in them.

One of the Türkkuşu teachers, pilot Emrullah Ali Yıldız broke the world record with a glider flight that lasted 14 hours and 20 minutes on June 12, 1938. His student Ziya Aydoğan flew a distance of 466 km from THK İnönü Training Center to Kayseri with a glider.

In 1936, a motorized aircraft school was opened under the name Aircraft School and started to train pilots for the Turkish Armed Forces. The world's first female fighter pilot, Atatürk's adopted daughter Sabiha Gökçen, is one of the first students of the Airplane School.

With the opening of the Türkkuş, the Turkish Aeronautical Association accelerated its aviation activities, and parachuting and glider training were especially emphasized. At this time, research was intensified across the country for parachute and glider training. Vecihi Hürkuş, one of the chief architects of this search, shares the wind conditions and other geographical details between Eskişehir and Bursa, where he flew a lot during the 1st and 2nd İnönü Wars in the War of Independence, with his friends as follows. The southern ridges of the long valley extending from Eskişehir to the west offered a slowly rising structure up to Uludağ. These long ridges, which are 200 to 400 meters high, had steep slopes and wide plains to the north, creating excellent areas for glider landings. There were also suitable plains on top of the hills where glider landings could be made.”

After this speech, Vecihi Hürkuş, who departed with a plane from Ankara, and Sergei Anokhin, aviation expert and glider instructor brought from Russia, parachuted to Eskişehir İnönü' district. Hürkuş and Anokhin, who went down to a place close to İnönü district and chatted with the villagers, researched the wind situation in the region. The villagers told of the north winds blowing from the beginning of May until the end of September. The area sought has been found. Strong north winds were perfect for sailing flights. The presence of a glider flight area with all the desired features also creates joy at THK headquarters. All these developments had to be tested with glider flights. A glider transported by land takes off from the hill and lands after 15 minutes in the air. Now İnönü was chosen as the center of gliding.

On July 10, 1936, İnönü High Glider Camp was opened in İnönü/Eskişehir. Five days after the opening, Turkey's Chief Airplane Vecihi Hürkuş became the first Turkish pilot to break the record by staying in the air for 5 hours and 45 minutes with his PS-2 glider.

I believe that in the eighty-seven years since its establishment, Türkkuşu Etimesgut main campus, İnönü, Efes, Karain and Erzincan training facilities, in line with the task it has undertaken to bring our aviation to the point it has reached today, with the strong support it has received from the Turkish people through divine donations, thousands of Pilots, Gliders, Parachutists, Paramotorists, and He has trained and continues to train Turkish youth, professional and amateur athletes who are passionate about aviation, who perform many other air sports.

Since the establishment of all civil aviation companies operating in Turkey, it has been providing technical information, equipment support and trained personnel support, especially personnel training support, and continues its active support.

As of the point reached today, Turkish Aeronautical Association, which has been reborn from its ashes, is determined and determined to transfer the aviation heritage that it has inherited from the past with respect to the future generations with today's aircraft and capabilities, with its hundred years of opportunities and capabilities, experienced personnel, professional companies and university.