Ernst Strobl, born 1965 in Munich, is among the pathfinders of paragliding in Germany. As European- and Vice World Champion, Ernst “the sailplane” is one of the most successful pilots in Germanys history. From 1989 to 1995 he served as professional pilot and Head of Development of UP Europe. From 92/93 he worked as DHV-testpilot, being in charge of conducting the so-called “Gütesiegelprüfungen” (Certifications). 1989 – 1995 Strobl was member of Team Germany and from 1996 to 2002 professional pilot and Head of Development of AiREA.

Strobl ranks beyond controversy among the best paraglider developers in the world. As a self-educated person, he works with more enthusiasm than anybody else. People say about Strobl, he is able to see air-current. Other people are programming ingenious computer software or composing touching music, Strobl delivers world-class gliders and kites featuring this “magic touch” for those who appreciate the difference. “Often only little things make big differences” Strobl knows. For this reason he works absolutely meticulous. “Gliders and kites are based on identical physical premises, but there are of course differences in development. I always bring new know-how from one segment immediately to the other.”

Intuition and utilisation of the latest design-software lead Strobl often to innovations such as the AFS-system. The abbrevation stands for “Automatic Flight Stabilisation”, which means a great loop forward in safety and convenience. Laborious simulation programms and CAD-software, partly written for U-Turn use only, guarantee that U-Turn always delivers gliders at the cutting egde of technology.