A talk by Charles Lindbergh about his Atlantic crossing so inspired Martin about aviation that he returned to Germany in 1928 to learn how to fly.

After completing his basic soaring training, he acquired his pilot's license for powered aircraft at the Klemm company in Böblingen.

Martin Schempp proved to be an adept and circumspect head of production, who would succeed over decades in working with his employees to build high-quality sailplanes inexpensively.

In addition to sailplanes for pilot training, the two companies supplied the two-seater Gö IV (designed by Wolfgang Hütter); the Habicht (plane), an aerobatic glider, and wooden subassemblies for Messerschmitt, the Me-321/323 "Gigant" and the Me-109 fighter.

He was relieved by an elected mayor in 1945 and once again devoted all of his time to the factory, now to manufacture urgently needed furniture and household goods using aircraft materials saved through the end of war.

Martin Schempp acquired the license to build the best standard-class sailplane of its time, the "Standard Austria," and put it into mass production.

Upon arriving in Kirchheim, Klaus Holighaus implemented his ideas in the form of the composite sailplane for the Open Class – the Cirrus.