Adela Stanisława Dankowska (born 5 January 1935 in

Sobienie-Jeziory Sobienie-Jeziory is a village in Otwock County, Poland. It is the capital of a Gmina Sobienie-Jeziory (commune). It lies approximately south of Otwock and south-east of Warsaw. In the 18th century, Jacek Jezierski established Poland's first sc ...

) is a retired Polish aviator and politician. She was a glider pilot and the coach of the Polish national gliding team, and also served as a member of Parliament.

Biography

Dankowska was born in

Lublin Voivodeship Lublin Voivodeship ( ) is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship (province) of Poland, located in the southeastern part of the country, with its capital being the city of Lublin. The region is named after its largest city and regional capital, Lu ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

. She studied biology at the

Warsaw University of Life Sciences The Warsaw University of Life Sciences (, SGGW) is the largest agricultural university in Poland, established in 1816 in Warsaw. It employs over 2,600 staff including over 1,200 academic educators. The University is since 2005 a member of the Eu ...

, graduating in 1959, and learnt to fly at the Aero Club of

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

. She held 12 world records during her flying career, and 43 Polish records, including the world record for distance travelled in a straight line, in 1977 (837 km) and the women's world record for height gain, in 1967 (8,430 m). She also held the record for the longest glider flight in Poland, reaching a distance of 837 km in 1974. From 1989 to 1991 Dankowska served as a member of the

Parliament of Poland The parliament of Poland is the bicameral legislature of Poland. It is composed of an upper house (the Senate) and a lower house (the Sejm). Both houses are accommodated in the Sejm and Senate Complex in Warsaw. The Constitution of Poland does ...

. She has also served on the city council of

Leźno Leźno is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Żukowo, within Kartuzy County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately east of Żukowo, east of Kartuzy, and west of the regional capital Gdańsk. It is loca ...

and the city's regional council. She is a member of the National Council of Aviation and a member of the Air National Examination Board.

Recognition

In 1970, Dankowska received the Polish Silver Cross of Merit, and in 1975 she received the

Lilienthal Gliding Medal Lilienthal Gliding Medal – the highest soaring award in the world, established by Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) in 1938, and is given at the annual Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) General Conference. It was cr ...

for her achievements in the sport. In 1977 she received a medal from the province of

Leszno Leszno (, , ) is a historic city in western Poland, seat of Leszno County within the Greater Poland Voivodeship. It is the seventh-largest city in the province with an estimated population of 62,200, as of 2021. Leszno is a former residential cit ...

and in 1978 she received the Knight's Cross of the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

. In 1981 she received the

Medal A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be in ...

of the National Education Commission (in Polish, Medal Komisji Edukacji Narodowej). She has also received six Gold Medals for outstanding achievements in

sport Sport is a physical activity or game, often Competition, competitive and organization, organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The numbe ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dankowska, Adela 1935 births Living people People from Otwock County People from Lublin Voivodeship (1919–1939) Solidarity Citizens' Committee politicians Civic Platform politicians Members of the Contract Sejm 20th-century Polish women politicians Polish women aviators Polish glider pilots Lilienthal Gliding Medal recipients Knights of the Order of Polonia Restituta 20th-century Polish women