‘It was love at first flight with my aeroplane boyfriend’
Michele Kobke, 29, is in a relationship with a Boeing aircraft and she can’t get enough of his thrusters…
Snuggling up in bed with a model aeroplane, Michele Kobke, 29, dreams of being closer to her long-distance boyfriend.
The pair have been together for five years and even plan to get married. However, Michele knows that it won’t be easy to get her high-flying lover to settle down – as he’s a 737-800 Boeing airplane.
And although some people think Michele has her head in the clouds, she’s so besotted with the plane, who she’s named Schatz and says is aged 22, that she never wants to date a real man again.
Michele, who works in a grocery shop and lives alone in Berlin, says, “Schatz is my first love. We have the most beautiful relationship imaginable.
SOULMATE
“I adore everything about him – especially his wings, winglets and thrusters. And our sex life is incredible.
“Schatz is my soulmate and I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.”
Previously, Michele had only had human relationships, until she met Schatz in March 2014.
She says, “I enjoy plane spotting, so went to Tegel Airport in Berlin to watch the take- offs and landings.
“I had a beautiful view from the terrace, but nothing could have prepared me for when Schatz flew into my sight.
“I’d never been attracted to an object before, but his flying technique and glossy exterior made him stand out from the crowd. It was love at first flight.
“I was very nervous, but I asked the airport staff if they could escort me over to him on the terrace. They didn’t mind and even let me go inside – I couldn’t resist giving him a kiss on his door.
“Of course, Schatz couldn’t speak, but I’m naturally funny and friendly, so I sensed he liked me too.”
From then, Michele saw Schatz every month. Her feelings for him are described as objectophilia, where individuals have a strong attraction and commitment to certain items.
She says, “I couldn’t stop thinking about him, so I would look at the airport timetable and drive 10 miles from my home to visit him whenever he was at the airport. He didn’t have a name, so I called him Schatz, and I know he’s 22 because of when he was made.
“Schatz flies all over the world, so we are rarely in the same place. But seeing him is always worth the wait.
“Usually, I just sit and stare at him out of the airport window. But sometimes I pay to fly with him, too. We look great together and talk about all kinds of things, from current affairs to my job.”
ENVIOUS
And Michele has an inventive way of staying close to her lover when he is working overseas.
She says, “I get envious when Schatz is away from me – as I want to keep him for myself. So, I have a 1.6m model of him – which I bought from Ebay for £875 – in my bed, so I can sleep with him every night. And I have a collection of 737-800 Boeing plane components, such as spoilers [hinged plates that can be extended upwards on a plane’s wings] and other aircraft structures, so I can stay intimate with Schatz at home. I bought the parts from recycling companies in Holland and the UK and paid £700 for each of them.
“I keep the spoiler in my bed and we regularly have sex together. Sometimes we even go on dates to the park. Nobody has ever said anything to us, but some people give us bewildered looks.”
And Michele says her relationship with Schatz is better than any human romance.
She says, “I’ve had four boyfriends in the past, but Schatz is my longest relationship. It’s more special than anything I’ve ever had before – he gives me butterflies.
“I can sense his emotions just by looking at him and I know he feels the same way about me. I told him I loved him the second time we met and if he could speak he would have said it back.”
And Michele insists she and Schatz are just a normal couple.
She says, “I take regular flights on Schatz and we’ve travelled on holiday together to Rome, Cologne and England. I know it’s him because he’s the only 737-800 in the TUI fleet. So far, I’ve spent around £1,700 on flights with him and we’ve travelled around 5,000 miles together. But we haven’t joined the Mile High Club yet.”
Surprisingly, Michele’s friends and family are also supportive of her relationship.
She says, “People can be horrible and say that I need to go to therapy. But I’ve never been so happy.
ENGAGEMENT
“My family don’t have any contact with Schatz, but they’ve got over the shock and are now very accepting.”
And Michele has big plans for her aerodynamic lover.
She says, “I want to marry my sweetheart in a big ceremony, so I plan to propose to him soon. I don’t like rings, but I will use some of his smaller parts to create a necklace as a symbol of our engagement.
“I know our relationship won’t be plane sailing, but my love for Schatz is so special. He’s the best boyfriend in the world.”
❛ HIS FLYING TECHNIQUE AND GLOSSY EXTERIOR MADE HIM STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD ❜