Neubrandenburg   (ETNU)

Date of Visit = July 1997

Pilot: = Chris Belton

e-mail = chris@yarboo.freeserve.co.uk

North of Berlin in former East Germany. I got to hear about it when I flew to nearby airfield of Waren-Vielest just after unification in a Robinson R22 helicopter with my 10 year old daughter on board. The microlight/gliding instructors there (both former Russian army helicopter pilots) said there was this wonderful airport with super facilities (most unusual in those days) at Neubrandenburg. One of them operated a fixed-wing flying-school there. I promised to visit it, but didn't have time on that occasion. Five years later (this time in a C150), I walked into the office of the Neubrandenburger Flugschule, and there sat Herr Baerens, apparently still waiting for me! He had just taken delivery of a brand new C172. The other instructor from Waren was back to flying helicopters for a living, also out of Neubrandenburg. So much progress since my last visit! Even the Trabants had had a change of image: once discarded as an unpleasant reminder of the old regime, here was one used as an airfield vehicle, all smart and shiny in its new yellow and black chequered paint scheme.

We went out to meet a student who had just returned from his first solo. In Germany there seem to be a lot of traditional little ceremonies associated with flying: here the unfortunate pilot had a thistle pulled through his hand. Apparently this is supposed to teach him the sensitivity of touch required to fly an aeroplane well. Or something. The balloonists have an even worse time of it. After their first trip there is an initiation ceremony: you set light to their hair then throw water over it to put it out, and then cover it in sand. Its supposed to symbolise the four elements all used in balloon flying, namely air, earth, fire and water.

My friend at the flying school very sportingly (I hadn't driven a car on the "continent" for years) lent us the his car to visit Neubrandenburg. We parked behind the Kulturpark, built during the old regime and left as an (interesting) reminder, with statues of strapping young women and prepubescent young girls, all naked of course.

Much of the town was destroyed during the war, but the walls have been rebuilt, and there was still a lot of building work going on. We bought a big slab of cheese on special offer. Good for camping, or so we thought: it turned out to be a Mecklenburg regional speciality which stank to high heaven, like the Limburg stink-cheese we had in Maastricht. Never mind the smelly socks, this smelt as if something had died to make it. It tased OK as long as you held your nose. A few days in the aeroplane (it was a big piece) didn't exactly improve it. But I can recommend the street booths which sell coffee and croissants or bratwurst and potato salad: definitely the cheapest way to eat.

We left in time to get to Waren for the night, since we could camp there, though obviously there are plenty of hotels in Neubrandeburg.