On the 1^st February 1910 August Euler flew the German Pilot-patent No. 1 from the oldest German Airfield in Darmstadt-Griesheim.

Babenhausen was first mentioned in a flying context in the 1920’s.  In 1923 Darmstadt’s Academic Flying group trained at the local parade ground in Babenhausen. They had to make most of the necessary equipment themselves, including the first working winch in Hessen.

It was Ernst Jachtman who launched the first Glider with a winch in Babenhausen.  A car was used, that was anchored to the ground, and on the rear axle was mounted a cable drum, and a steel cable was used to launch the glider.

Before glider pilots relied on the slopes in the mountains and hills, and used a bungee to launch the gliders.  However, after the success of Ernst Jachtman, it was possible to launch gliders from flat areas as well.

It was also around this time that the term ‘ein Babenhäuser’ came in to use.  The expression refers to a special knot used in winch operations at that time.  This knot is no longer permitted, but it still a part of our club emblem today.

Babenhausen also became known after Albert Botsch’s non-stop flight from Babenhausen to Berlin in 1924 in a BAG-E1 motorglider.

The flight took 3.5 hours with an average speed of 143 Kmh.  The fuel costs for this trip was a grand total of 5.50 DM!

In 1951 after gliding was once again allowed in Germany, Glider pilots once again turned up at Babenhausen, in order to form the flying club again.  

As part of the festivities relating to SV Germania’s Jubilee in 1952, the club obtained for the first time permission to use the current airfield.

In cooperation with the Langeselbolder club, and after a 7 year break, it was again allowed to launch gliders from Babenhausen.  Mostly they were passenger flight, mainly Americans, and flown in a Doppelraab.

At this time it was often attempted to get permission to fly from the US headquarters in Heidelberg.  This problem should have been in 1956 finally resolved, however the 12^th Army objected and the permission was once again withdrawn.

After Airport debate in the Bundestag, and following much twoing and frowing, the permission to fly at Babenhausen was finally granted by the Hesse Government on the 9th April 1959.

On Sunday the 26^th April 1959 flying operations started with the first club owned glider, a Doppelraab

In the beginning of 1960 the Luftsport Club was registered with the district court in Seligenstadt.  A Ka 8 kit was purchased and after 385 hours of building, was ready to fly.

The Doppelraab was sold and replaced with a Mu 13, a Ka 7 was also ordered with delivery following in March 1966.  >>

In July 1963 the basic framework of the new hangar was completed, and in August 1964 the news hangar was officially opened.

The clubs first Fly-in took place, under the auspices of the US armed forces, between the 15 and 16^th May 1965.  Fly-ins then were a regular event until 1968, and were well known throughout Hessen as well as Germany in general.

Various donations in 1971 permitted the purchase of the club’s first motor glider, a Scheibe SF 25 B.  This purchase had become necessary, due to the growing number of members who wanted to fly in the winter, and also those who wanted to speed up the process of learning to fly.  The new motorglider flew in it’s first year 57 hours and 890 launches.

In 1971 it was possible to open the second section of the aircraft hangar next to the clubhouse.  This had long been financed by ELB Schliff Edmund Lang, who wanted to hangar their Aircraft there.  The hangar was later renamed the “Edmund Lang Halle”  

The Americans allowed in 1972 the keeping of 5 motor aircraft at Babenhausen.  This allowed, after much effort, the start of motor aircraft operations.

The construction of an ASK 14 motorglider was started during the winter of 1972-73.  The ASK14 was completed and operational in 1974.

The first motor glider competition was held at Babenhausen in 1976.  From 1980 LSC Babenhausen hosted the first national motorglider competition.  28 motorgliders took part, almost all of which were Scheibe SF 25 ‘Falke’.

In 1981 LSC Babenhausen took part in the annual ‘Deutschlandflug’ with two aircraft a Morane and a Piper Cherokee.

In 1982, as a result of the growing number of new motorglider pupils, as well as glider pilots cross-training, a newer motorglider, a Grob 109, was bought.  This motorglider was christened ‘Hexenreiter’ (witch rider).

In the following years newer equipment was obtained and the club’s fleet enlarged and modernised.

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