Consider this. The Atterheide Airfield is more than just a place for planes. It’s a testament to Osnabrück’s aviation history.
The Atterheide Airfield resides in Atter. It is near the border of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. This airfield has a rich past.
Gustav Tweer and other aviation pioneers used the Atter heathlands as early as 1912. They were allowed to fly here. In the mid-1920s, glider pilots from the Osnabrück Association for Aviation also used the Atterheide. The main airfield in Netter Heide was unsuitable for glider take-offs.
Engineer Reinhold Tiling held a flight day here on August 21, 1932. He presented his self-developed rockets. 4000 spectators attended. After the airfield in Haste closed in 1935, the Atterheide saw even more use by glider and model pilots. Flight operations stopped in 1938.
After World War II, civil powered flight was permitted again in 1955. 28 motor pilots founded the Aero-Club Osnabrück in December 1955. Initially, they used the airfield in Vörden near Bramsche. But it was needed for military purposes starting in 1959. So, the Aero-Club moved to the Atterheide.
The noble family Ostman von der Leye leased the site to them. The family lived at the nearby Gut Leye estate. In 1958, after clearing and leveling the site, the first test take-offs and landings occurred at the Atterheide. The airfield officially opened on April 25, 1959. Approval was granted in January 1959.
Early flight operations were simple. The 500-meter runway ran west to east with a grass surface. Air traffic control and the aero club operated from a wooden hut. In the 1960s, up to 40,000 visitors attended large airshows. These shows featured aerobatics, parachutists, and even touch-and-go maneuvers by jet aircraft.
Club members expanded the airfield facilities without public funding. The runway was extended to 800 meters and asphalted in 1980 after building the first hangars. The tower opened in 1986. A new clubhouse followed in 1990.
The Atterheide Airfield has an asphalt runway running east to west. It is 800 meters long. The airfield houses a flight school and a catering business. It is a commercial airfield. A commissioner for air traffic control is employed full-time. Aircraft up to 5.7 tons and helicopters can approach the airfield year-round. Between 9,000 and 11,000 aircraft movements occur each year.
Today, the Atterheide Airfield continues to serve Osnabrück. It stands as a vibrant center for aviation. It started with aviation pioneers and continues with modern aircraft. The airfield is more than just a landing strip. It is a living piece of Osnabrück’s history.