Polyteknikkojen Ilmailukerho (PIK) is the student flying club of the Aalto University. As well as a flying club, it develops light aircraft and gliders, often on a small scale but sometimes its designs have been produced in quantity.[1][2] Approximately 536 aircraft have been built by the organisation and its sub-contractors. It is similar to the Akafliegs of German Universities in that students make designs with advice from staff to give practical experience before seeking employment.
It was formed on March 26, 1931. For the first two years, the club operated first as the "Aviation Scouts" and then as the "Polytechnic Aviation Club".[3][4] It was originally part of the Helsinki Institute of Technology before the merger in 2010 with the Helsinki School of Economics, and the University of Art and Design Helsinki to create Aalto University. The club is based at Otaniemi, Espoo[4]
The club owns aircraft that members can rent. Currently, PIK has one motor-glider and five sailplanes: Grob 103, DG-500, Rolladen-Schneider LS8, Rolladen-Schneider LS4, Grob G102 Astir. The gliding operation is based at Räyskälä and light aircraft are also flown from Malmi Airport near Helsinki. It uses a PIK-23 as a tow-plane.[4] The light aircraft operation owns a Diamond DA-40, Cessna 152 and PIK-23.
Club members designed a series of gliders including:[5]
The PIK-3 was designed by Lars Norrmen and Ilkka Lounama and first flew in 1950. It became widely used in Finnish gliding clubs. 40 were built.
The PIK-16 Vasama (or Arrow) was designed by Tuomo Tervo, Jorma Jalkenen and Kurt Hedström. A PIK-16C took third place in the Standard Class in the World Gliding Championships in 1963. It was put into series production by KK Lehtovaara O/Y which built 56.
The PIK-20 "Tiu" was designed by a team led by a student, Pekka Tammi, as part of his diploma thesis from 1971 to 1973 and guided by Ilkka Rantasalo and Raimo Nurminen. The first flight was in 1973. It was produced by initially by Molino O/Y which was taken over by Eiri-Avion O/Y in 1974 but continued production. PIK-20 gliders won the first three places at the Standard Class at the World Gliding Championships in 1976. 409 PIK-20 gliders of all types were built by 1981, of which 85% were exported. The manufacturing rights for the 20E were sold in 1980 to the French company Siren.
