Turkish businessman fulfills childhood dream, lands plane in home village

Businessman Orhan Unsal, chairman of the Türkiye All Amateur and Sports Aviators Association, fulfilled a childhood dream by landing his private plane directly in his home village of Cakirkaya, part of the Siran district in Gumushane province, after a journey of two hours and 45 minutes from Ankara's Polatli district.

Unsal's aircraft approached the grassy landing area on the outskirts of Cakirkaya village, where local authorities had prepared the pasture in advance using construction equipment to ensure a safe and level landing surface.

The 57-year-old pilot and businessman guided his plane along the requested flight path, climbing to an altitude of 9,500 feet as he made his way toward Siran district, following a route coordinated with air traffic control throughout the journey.

Before touching down, Unsal circled above his home village, a moment he later described as deeply emotional after years of dreaming about returning to Cakirkaya by plane.

Unsal's wife, Ulker Unsal, who has flown with her husband on many previous occasions, accompanied him during the flight and can be seen documenting the journey and landing with her camera throughout the trip.

Villagers, relatives and local officials gathered at the landing site to welcome Unsal, forming a crowd that greeted the aircraft as it came to a stop on the improvised runway.

Siran Municipality Mayor Abdulbaki Kara, seen among those welcoming Unsal, later said residents had been left in a state of astonishment, with some callers asking whether a new airport had opened in the district.

Unsal poses beside his aircraft shortly after landing, a scene he says represents the culmination of a dream that began when he was around 7 years old growing up in the village.

The businessman received flight training roughly a decade ago with support from a friend's father, and later built a private airfield on land he owns in Polatli district near Ankara.

Local officials say Unsal's landing has renewed interest in an existing air taxi initiative, with the municipality considering a formal proposal to Türkiye's Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure to expand small aircraft access to the region.

Village resident Suleyman Kaya, among those who watched the landing unfold, said the moment brought a sense of pride to the community, describing the arrival as a beautifully executed landing.

Unsal has said he hopes his flight will raise awareness about private aviation in Türkiye and encourage the development of more airfields across the country, noting that finding suitable land remains the biggest obstacle to expanding the practice.