In Pilsen, operating from 1910, when the Frenchman Jullerot took off Malesice and in the same year pilot Čermák airport Bory, where later went on to the famous Aviation Club in West Bohemia from Pilsen ( ZA), who was very active not only in Czechoslovakia ( Czechoslovakia ), but also internationally . At airshows in Bory went tens of thousands of spectators. In Koterov the slope Kolešovka airmen flew of Masaryk Air League ( MLL) with gliders since 1937.

The heavy losses suffered ZA and MLL during the German occupation. Both airports overrun by the Germans and Czechs were not allowed to fly. Fifty members for the MLL and ZA fight for the freedom of Czechoslovakia abroad, 24 of them were killed in the British RAF. Other members joined the local resistance. Germans executed 14 of them. The uprising against the occupying forces in 1945 was attended by many members from ZA , two fell in Prague barricades. In 1945 was ZA renewal and entered into him glider pilots from MLL.

Freedom ended the communist coup in 1948. Canceled name ZA. The Aero Club expelled 65 members, including all wartime military pilots. Glider pilots did not rule out, because their president was a communist, but a good man, he was imprisoned by the occupiers and the liberation of the prison in 1945, escaped execution. In 1952 created great work engagement members with state support in action. From glider airport Letkov, as the airport Bory enjoyed soldiers and glider pilots did not want to .

Since the establishment of the Aeroclub Pilsen - Letkov were trained more than 300 gliders and over 180 pilots of ultralight aircraft. After the demise of the airport Bory in 1996 and moved to Letkov powered aircraft over 20 pilots of powered aircraft . Glider pilots received 9 times champion of the Republic and in 2011 and 2013, the Roman Mraček became European champion.

Each year with our pilots flying a lot of visitors. During maintenance and completion of the airport and aviation maintenance working their members each year around 2,000 hours of volunteer work. Aero Club of air keeps the tradition. High esteem enjoying our honorary members, in II. World War were fighter pilots RAF Jiří Hartman, Antonín Liška , Josef Prokopec, Miroslav Štandera and their comrades .

Aeroclub issued four parts of the book Aeronautics and city of Pilsen. Organized a large exhibition hall in Pilsen Mazhauz to 100 years of aviation in Pilsen in 2010 , 100 years after the birth of Antonín Liška 2011 and 60 years Aeroclub Plzeň- 2012. In these years, as well as several times in the past, held a beautiful airshow at the airport Letkov . Also in 2013 to celebrate Miroslav Štandera 95. birthday, when came acrobats group Classic Trainers and the Army of the Czech Republic.

wrote: Ing. Miroslav Neumann

Website:   www.akletkov.cz