Angelika Machinek

Angelika Machinek (17 November 1956 – 12 October 2006) was a German glider pilot. Born in the district of Holzminden, she started gliding at the age of 14, gained her pilot’s license in 1973 and received her instructor’s license in 1980. She was five times German gliding champion between 1994 and 2006 and broke nine FIA gliding world records, four in the D1M class, four in D15 and one in DO. She won the Elly-Beinhorn Rally in 1998, the first International Hexencup in 2003 and the first International Flatland Cup in Hungary, in 2006. She died while flying a microlight shortly after the last win and a fund to promote women glider pilots was set up as a legacy for her in 2007.

Biography Angelika Machinek was born on 17 November 1956 in the village of Eschershausen in the district of Holzminden. 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.

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.

Dr Machinek was killed, aged 49, near Echzell, in Hesse.

World Records Dr Machinek has held a total of nine gliding records in three different classes as recognised by the FAI Gliding Commission. DateClassType of recordRecordAircraftNotes 14 December 1996 D1-M Speed over a triangular course of 300 km Schleicher ASW 24 E Retired by change in code 15 December 1996 D1-M Triangle distance Schleicher ASW 24 E Retired by change in code 7 January 1997 D1-M Speed over a triangular course of 100 km Schleicher ASW 24 E Retired by change in code 18 December 1998 D15 Speed over an out-and-return course of 500 km Schempp-Hirth Discus 22 December 1998 D15 Speed over a triangular course of 750 km Schempp-Hirth Discus 5 January 1999 DO Speed over a triangular course of 1000 km Schleicher ASH 25 E 6 December 2002 D15 Speed over a triangular course of 100 km Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2cM 6 December 2002 D15 Speed over a triangular course of 300 km Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2cM

Publications 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 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. In 2016, a road in Bockenheim was also named after her. In 2017, a path on the Ith was named Angelika Machinek Weg in her honour.