didn’t work out, SG-38 / OK-3023 VajnoryAI-enhanced photo

Miki Fodor

Many years ago Poky senior introduced me to a friend whom I placed in the super-senior category — a super-old senior. His name was Miki Fodor. He was about 85 and no longer left his Petržalka flat because of health problems.

Miki’s age is also reflected in his certificate for passing the A-level pilot examination on an SG-38 on 28 June 1943, issued by SLeS Bratislava squadron.

Mikuláš Fodor’s A-level pilot examination certificate on an SG-38, issued by SLeS Bratislava gliding squadron on 28 June 1943 — AI-enhanced photo, source - Jozef Schill

The A-level examination certificate records individual flight times: 22 seconds, 25 seconds… But before the little pilot could glide down the slope, all the pupils had to push the all-wood SG-38 to the hilltop. Sometimes a horse or rope winch helped, but usually it was done by hand. How many gave up training because of that slog?

I remember 130 would-be glider pilots arriving at Vajnory in January 1982, and only 24 of us beginning to fly four months later… And we did not have to carry gliders uphill, just push them on level ground.

Flight logbook

No.	Date	Airfield	Aircraft	Registration	Flight time	Note
1	28. III. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-024	—
2	28. III. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-024	—
3	4. IV. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-024	—
4	11. IV. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	—
5	11. IV. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	—
6	18. IV. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	—
7	18. IV. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	—
8	18. IV. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	—
9	18. IV. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	10 s	straight flight
10	19. IV. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	—
11	19. IV. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	—
12	20. IV. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	11 s	straight flight
13	20. IV. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	10 s
14	9. V. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	15 s
15	16. V. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	15 s
16	18. V. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	18 s
17	18. V. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	22 s	straight flight
18	23. V. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	approx. 19 s
19	6. VI. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	12 s
20	6. VI. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	15 s
21	6. VI. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	16 s
22	20. VI. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	22 s	A1
23	20. VI. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	25 s	A2
24	23. VI. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	22 s	A3
25	24. VI. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	25 s	A4
26	24. VI. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	30 s	A5
27	4. VII. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	28 s	straight flight
28	11. VII. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	25 s	straight flight
29	11. VII. 1943	Dúbravka	Vrona	BIS-132	12 s
30	18. VII. 1943	Straník	SG-38	OK-001	approx. 19 s
31	1943	Straník	SG-38	OK-001	approx. 16 s	date unclear
32	19. VII. 1943	Straník	SG-38	OK-001	18 s
33	20. VII. 1943	Straník	SG-38	OK-001	20 s
34	21. VII. 1943	Straník	SG-38	—	20 s
35	22. VII. 1943	Straník	SG-38	OK-031	23 s
36	23. VII. 1943	Straník	SG-38	OK-031	22 s
37	26. VII. 1943	Straník	SG-38	—	30 s
38	27. VII. 1943	Straník	SG-38	—	24 s
39	27. VII. 1943	Straník	SG-38	—	18 s
40	28. VII. 1943	Malý Straník	SG-38	OK-034	25 s
41	28. VII. 1943	Malý Straník	SG-38	OK-034	39 s
42	29. VII. 1943	Malý Straník	SG-38	OK-034	30 s
43	30. VII. 1943	Malý Straník	SG-38	OK-034	26 s
44	30. VII. 1943	Malý Straník	SG-38	OK-034	35 s
45	31. VII. 1943	Veľký Straník	SG-38	—	56 s	B1
46	1. VIII. 1943	Veľký Straník	SG-38	—	62 s	B2
47	2. VIII. 1943	Veľký Straník	SG-38	—	50 s	B3
48	5. VIII. 1943	Veľký Straník	SG-38	OK-037	55 s	B4
49	5. VIII. 1943	Veľký Straník	SG-38	OK-037	1 min 01 s	B5
50	4. IX. 1943	Dúbravka	Vrona	BIS-132	26 s
51	5. IX. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	35 s
52	19. IX. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	39 s
53	3. X. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	approx. 31 s
54	3. X. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	1 min 10 s
55	10. X. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	40 s
56	14. X. 1943	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-024	44 s

Trainees in front of SG-38 / OK-0002 beside the timber hangar on Brižite hill, Dúbravka — trainees in front of an SG-38, with the timber hangar on Brižite hill, Dúbravka, behind themAI-enhanced photo, source - Miki Fodor

1944

No.	Date	Airfield	Aircraft	Registration	Flight time
57	19. III. 1944	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-025	28 s
58	19. III. 1944	Dúbravka	GB IIa	OK-300	30 s
59	26. III. 1944	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-026	40 s
60	11. IV. 1944	Dúbravka	SG-38	—	34 s
61	10. IX. 1944	Dúbravka	GB IIa	OK-300	22 s

happy Miki Fodor in Kranich II / OK-4005AI-enhanced photo, source - Miki Fodor

1945 – 1946

No.	Date	Airfield	Aircraft	Registration	Flight time
62	4. VI. 1945	Dúbravka	GB IIa	OK-300	39 s
63	17. VI. 1945	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-062	45 s
64	1. VIII. 1945	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-062	52 s
65	2. VIII. 1945	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-062	1 min 30 s
66	3. VIII. 1945	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-062	approx. 1 min 44 s
67	1. IX. 1945	Straník	SG-38	OK-68	16 s
68	2. IX. 1945	Straník	SG-38	OK-68	10 s
69	3. IX. 1945	Straník	SG-38	OK-68	approx. 4 min
70	14. X. 1945	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-066	1 min 05 s
71	1945	Dúbravka	GB IIa	OK-300	approx. 3 min 18 s
72	22. VIII. 1945	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-066	approx. 1 min 40 s
73	10. X. 1945	Dúbravka	GB IIa	OK-3000	approx. 3 min 12 s
74	1945	Dúbravka	GB IIa	OK-3000	approx. 1 min 54 s
75	6. III. 1946	Dúbravka	SG-38	OK-066	approx. 49 s
76	12. III. 1946	Dúbravka	GB IIa	OK-3000	approx. 2 min 45 s
77	1946	Dúbravka	GB IIa	OK-3000	approx. 4 min 15 s

Mikuláš Fodor’s B-test certificate at Straník near Žilina, issued on 6 August 1943 — Miki Fodor’s B test at Straník near ŽilinaAI-enhanced photo, source - Miki Fodor

1947 – 1949

No.	Date	Airfield	Aircraft	Registration	Flight time	Fellow pilot / note
78	7. VIII. 1947	Piešťany	SG-38	OK-0003	1 min
79	1947	Piešťany	GB IIb	OK-3023	48 s
80	1947	Piešťany	GB IIb	OK-3023	55 s
81	18. VIII. 1947	Vajnory	Kranich II	OK-4003	3 min	Kendera, 200 m
82	18. VIII. 1947	Vajnory	Kranich II	OK-4003	5 min	Kendera, 200 m
83	1. V. 1949	Dúbravka	Kranich II	OK-4054	1 h 20 min

A group outside Lamač railway station — they travelled by train to Lamač, then walked across to the slope airfield. The woman in the middle is Marta Pavlíková. AI-enhanced photosource - Marta Pavlíková’s album

Total flying time

Year	Total flying time
1943	19 min 57 s
1944	2 min 34 s
1945	21 min 05 s
1946	7 min 49 s
1947	10 min 43 s
1948	no entry
1949	1 h 20 min
Total	2 h 22 min 08 s

According to his surviving logbook, Miki flew a total of 2 h 22 min 08 s over seven years, including one hour twenty minutes on Labour Day, 1 May 1949. Is there anything more to add about willpower, determination and passion for flying?

Lest I forget: the communists banned Miki from flying for life, took away his pilot licence, and he only managed to hide these few photographs.

A team of trainees carrying an SG-38 at the slope airfield — a whole day’s amusement / hard labour for a team of trainees at the slope airfield
SG-38 / OK-024AI-enhanced photo, source - Miki Fodor

SG-38 gliding above Brižite, with a person on the slope below — SG-38 gliding above BrižiteAI-enhanced photo, source - Miki Fodor

← Dúbravka slope airfield