Hamburg proudly hosted the 2024 German Aerospace Congress (DLRK), the largest conference for aerospace research in Germany. From 29 September to 2 October 2024, the prestigious event brought together leading minds and innovative talents from the industry to present and discuss the latest developments and technologies. Among the large number of researchers from Hamburg who gave presentations were a large number of lecturers and students from the TUHH and HAW Hamburg, researchers from the DLR institutes based in Hamburg and employees from the ZAL Centre of Applied Aeronautical Research. Many employees from Hamburg-based companies also took part in the event.
‘It fills us with pride that Hamburg is now hosting the DLRK for the fifth time,’ explains Ralf Gust, Managing Director of Hamburg Aviation. ‘The impressive participation of the Hamburg aviation community emphasises the immense importance of aviation research for our location. We will continue to do everything in our power to optimise cooperation between educational institutions, companies, politics and research institutions. Our aim is to use this synergetic cooperation to sustainably strengthen the competitiveness of the industry and consolidate Hamburg as a leading aviation centre.’
The conference was ceremoniously opened with welcoming speeches by Hamburg's Mayor Peter Tschentscher and the Federal Government's Coordinator for German Aerospace Policy, Anna Christmann. The opening speeches were given by Roland Gerhards, CEO of the ZAL Centre of Applied Aeronautics Research in Hamburg, and Cornelia Hillenherms, Vice President of the German Aerospace Society (DGLR). Gerko Wende, Director of the DLR Institute of Maintenance and Modification, chaired the committee that put together the conference programme with 420 lectures and presentations on topics such as materials, propulsion technologies, aerodynamics and digital systems.
The opening keynote was given by Isabell Gradert, Vice President Central Research and Technology at Airbus. Her inspiring presentation ‘Innovating with a purpose for the next generation of flight’ introduced Airbus' plans to utilise technologies such as quantum computing and artificial intelligence to shape the next generation of flight.
Congratulations to the winners of the Young Talents Award from Hamburg: Jan Mehnen, Tom Ziegner and Finn Hendrik Christiansen! These young talents impressed the commission with their outstanding contributions and show the enormous potential of the next generation of aerospace engineers.
The German Aerospace Congress is an indispensable platform for the exchange of knowledge and ideas in the industry. It offers a unique opportunity to network with experts, discover new technologies and actively shape the future of aerospace. Hamburg Aviation is delighted to be part of this dynamic and forward-looking event and to promote innovation in the aerospace industry in Hamburg and beyond.
For more information and the full programme, please visit the official DLRK website.