Hangar 10 founder dies

摘要

The founder of the Hangar 10 collection, Volker Schiilke, was killed on 2 August when the Pilatus P2 he was flying, D-EPIL, came down shortly after take-off from Heringsdorf on the north-east German island of Usedom. Since starting Hangar 10 in 2011, Schiilke had built a reputation for specialising in the restoration of German World War Two aircraft, and at the time of his death had been responsible for the completion of four Messerschmitt Bf 109s, two examples of the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, a Biicker Bu 181 Bestmann, a Bu 131 Jungmann and a Flug Werk FW 190. He ran the Air Fighter Academy at Heringsdorf, which is contracted to the Messerschmitt Stiftung to provide aircraft operation, restoration and maintenance services plus all of its pilot training. In addition, Volker established a joint-venture engine overhaul and maintenance business with Rinner Performance Engines in Austria, which specialises in the overhaul and restoration of German aero engines from the Second World War. As part of this enterprise he pioneered the use of modern digital monitoring systems to improve engine reliability and flight safety.