Obituary: Franz Wittwer

He was still flying at our airfield just last year. With his inspiring personality, he organized many activities. He was responsible for organizing numerous large-glider gatherings. Club life was important to Franz, whether as head coach or as a founding member and president of the Westamt Uetendorf Model Flying Club. His dedication also led to his being named an honorary member of the Signau Model Flying Club.

He always had a mischievous streak. For example, three shots went up in smoke when he tried to prove to us that he could make them spin on a stick. While swatting flies, he told us that our method lacked style. He put on a pair of white gloves himself and swatted the flies against the window, causing it to shatter into pieces.

He could be a bit fidgety at times. So it would happen that a tail unit was left on the car, or he’d run over a wing because he’d forgotten it was still under the car.

His aircraft designs will remain unforgettable. His gliders generally had a respectable wing loading, which in earlier years would bring beads of sweat to the tow pilots’ foreheads. Launchers on the slope had to pass a sports test beforehand, and when landing in the mountains, the endeavor sometimes turned into search operations lasting several hours.

At the age of 92, he constructed a delta wing from aluminum composite panels. Flying at nearly 200 km/h, these gliders aren’t exactly suitable for grandfathers—but that didn’t stop him from building ten of them and selling them at cost to pilots he selected himself. Since he wasn’t satisfied with the first color scheme we designed, all the models had to be sent back to his workshop and were subsequently delivered only after being finished with a final coat of paint by a certified master painter.

The lifetime repair warranty for the planes—which we affectionately christened “Fränzi”—has unfortunately now expired. But his creations will continue to fly for many years to come.

That—and so much more—is an indelible part of Franz. We are all very grateful that we were able to accompany Franz for a part of his journey through life.

With these memories, we honor our dear friend and give thanks for all the wonderful encounters.

MG Signau,
René Steck