Manufacturer of airsport equipment, release carabiners and components for hang gliding and paragliding equipment.
Finsterwalder GmbH
MunichNew on Amplifa
About Finsterwalder & Charly
Finsterwalder GmbH, based in Munich, has been developing and producing airsport equipment since 1974 under the Finsterwalder and Charly brands. The portfolio includes hang gliders such as the Bergfex, Superfex and Funfex, paragliding and hang glider rescue devices such as the steerable DIAMONDcross, harnesses from the company's own webbing workshop, helmets as well as carabiners and technical components such as buckles, ball locking pins, spring latches and ultralight tubes for airsport equipment. Production takes place in Munich, using among other materials aluminium, stainless steel, fiberglass, Diolen and spinnaker nylon; high-strength, large-diameter Perunal tubes were used in hang glider construction. Load tests of the company's own products, such as the Paralock release carabiner, are part of in-house quality assurance. In addition, the company operates a workshop for repairs, distributes via an online shop and an international partner network, and developed the Scott-e electric drive for paragliding harnesses together with partners. Its customer base includes airsport retailers and pilots worldwide.
- Site
- München
- Processes
- Production of whitewater boats and touring kayaks made of fiberglass/Diolen, Production of hang gliders such as Bergfex, Superfex, Funfex, Production of carabiners (Paralock 1/3/4) and airsport components, Workshop/repair of airsport equipment, Workshop/repair (service), Development of own products (design/engineering, e.g. hang gliders, carabiners), Worldwide distribution/export, Online shop
- Materials
- Fiberglass, Diolen, Perunal (high-strength aluminium alloy), Spinnaker nylon 32 g/m², Mylar, Aluminium (carabiners), Stainless steel (carabiners), Lithium-ion battery
- Certificates
- DHV certification
- Founded
- 1974
- Industries
- Air/airsports (hang gliding, paragliding), Airsport equipment and components, Electric propulsion systems for aircraft, Airsport accessories and components for airsport equipment, Electric propulsion systems for aircraft (cooperation)
- 01
Development and design
- 02
Manufacturing (carabiners, components, webbing workshop)
- 03
Assembly of own products
- 04
Load/break tests
- 05
Workshop/repair and service
- 06
Worldwide distribution/online shop
Materials & Processes
Aluminium (incl. Perunal)
High-strength, lightweight tubes for hang glider construction as well as aluminium carabiners.
Stainless steel
Material for carabiners, e.g. the Paralock 3.
Fiberglass/Diolen
Used for the construction of whitewater boats and touring kayaks.
Spinnaker nylon 32 g/m²
Fabric material for hang glider sails, e.g. on the Bergfex.
Mylar
Pre-formed leading edge on the Windfex hang glider.
Lithium-ion battery
Energy storage of the e-drive system for the Scott-e drive.
Locations
Munich
DEHeadquarters, production, workshop, distribution
- Materials
- Aluminium, stainless steel, fiberglass, Diolen, nylon
Products & Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production of whitewater boats and touring kayaks made of fiberglass/DiolenPlastics | – | – | – | – | Fiberglass, Diolen |
| Production of hang gliders such as Bergfex, Superfex, FunfexAssembly | – | – | – | – | Aluminium (Perunal tubes), Spinnaker nylon, Mylar |
| Production of carabiners (Paralock 1/3/4) and airsport componentsAssembly | – | – | – | – | Aluminium, Stainless steel |
| Workshop/repair of airsport equipmentAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality & Testing
Independent load/break testing of products, e.g. carabiner load tests up to approx. 2.8 t on the Paralock 3; airworthiness of the company's own hang gliders by the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (Federal Aviation Office) as well as DHV certifications.
| Evidence | Munich |
|---|---|
| DHV certification |
Company History
- 1963–1982
Thomas Finsterwalder founds a boat building business for whitewater boats and touring kayaks made of fiberglass/Diolen at the age of 16; in parallel, secondary school and engineering studies.
- 1972
Purchase of an 'Alpengleiter' from Hartmut Huber; first ski launches and landings on the Stubai Glacier, flights from the Alpspitze and Piz Palü.
- 1973–1974
Development of the company's own hang glider 'Bergfex' (11 kg, tool-free disassembly into 1.80 m sections) with high-strength Perunal tubes.
- 1975
Flight adventure in Peru.
- 1976
First successful flight from the summit of Kilimanjaro (5950 m) by Thomas Finsterwalder, Albert Leutenmaier and Heinz Walter.
- 1977
The Bergfex receives airworthiness certification; registration of Finsterwalder GmbH (HRB 52509, 14.03.1977); more than 300 Bergfex flown.
- 1977–1979
Expedition to Christobal Colon (Colombia, 5776 m); successful flights from Popocatépetl (Mexico) and Damavand (Iran).
- 1978
The 'Superfex' (15 kg) is created, 680 units built; one of the first DHV-certified hang gliders.
- 1979
The 'Jetfex' appears.
- 1981
The 'Windfex' with integrated cross tube and pre-formed Mylar leading edge is introduced.
- 2024
50th company anniversary; article about Thomas Finsterwalder in Cross Country Magazine.
- 2025
Retrofit instructions for Paralock 3 release carabiners with line deflectors; operational approval only with retrofit.