Sustainability, innovation and new technologies are the dominant themes – Successful conclusion to ILA Berlin
• Federal government strongly represented at ILA
• 550 exhibitors and 72.000 visitors
• Trade visitors highly interested in new mobility and security
• Next ILA Berlin scheduled for 05 to 09 June 2024
Berlin, 26 June 2022 – For five days the Berlin/Brandenburg region was a hub and platform for exchanging views on the future of aerospace.
Taking as its slogan ’Pioneering Aerospace’, it gathered representatives of international industry, politics, the armed forces and science. Around 550 exhibitors from 29 countries presented a wide range of high-tech products and research and development projects. Some 260 speakers discussed the latest aerospace topics on five stages. Key issues included climate-neutral flight, military security and the benefits of space flight for humanity. There was keen public interest in the event – tickets for the general public on the open weekend sold out quickly.
Volker Thum, chief executive of the BDLI: “#ILA22 was the first aerospace show to take place in Europe since the pandemic began. The keen interest shown by visitors and exhibitors, the significant presence of German policymakers and the partnership with the European Commission sent a clear message: aviation, space flight and defence have become mainstream topics in society. They are a decisive and integral part of our everyday lives. With that comes a special responsibility for us. From the perspective of long-term sustainability, the focus is on how to hand over today’s world to a future generation with the ecology, economy and security in mind. #ILA22 highlighted the big progress we have already made, with research and development on climate-neutral aviation, communications and climate observation from space, and with technologies for our security and defending our values.
But we also saw that we still have a long way to go. In that sense ’Pioneering Aerospace’, this year’s slogan at ILA, remains our commitment to the future.““
Martin Ecknig, CEO of Messe Berlin GmbH:
“Following the break due to the pandemic we are delighted that ILA has made a strong comeback. The past few days showed that face-to-face meetings are vital for the aerospace industry. As Europe’s leading innovative trade show for the aerospace industry, ILA Berlin has brought its members back together – in person and on the grounds at BER Airport in the heart of Europe. ILA 2022 was impressive proof that, more than any other event, it stands for innovation and the new technologies of this high-tech industry.“
Federal government strongly represented at the event
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz opened ILA Berlin with a tour of the show. “For those who want to find out what the future of aviation really has in store, ILA is the right place to be“, he said in his opening speech.
Pioneering aerospace – the slogan of this year’s ILA, not only harked back to the origins of the oldest aerospace show and aviation’s traditional pioneering spirit. It above all reflected the expectations of an industry which almost unlike any other stood for innovation and progress. The federal chancellor expressly thanked the exhibitors and companies present. They were the true “pioneers of aerospace“. “They whet our appetite for aviation’s future – climate-neutral, low-noise and highly innovative.“
Among those who accompanied the chancellor were Federal Transport Minister Dr. Volker Wissing, Governing Mayor of Berlin Franziska Giffey, Minister President of Brandenburg Dr. Dietmar Woidke, and Federal Government Aerospace Coordinator Anna Christmann. Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck took part in a tour to also find out about aerospace innovations for achieving climate-neutrality. Federal Minister of Defence Christine Lambrecht visited the representations of the Bundeswehr on the Static Display and at the Military Support Center. The Bundeswehr was the largest exhibitor at ILA.
All the fascination of aerospace at ILA
This year, around 60 aircraft of all sizes and categories were displayed at ILA. There were the “giants of the sky“, an A380 airliner and Beluga transporter from Airbus, military aircraft including a Lockheed Martin F-35 multi-role combat aircraft, a Boeing CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter, as well as mock-ups of innovative devices such as the Volocopter flying taxi, the fully electric Rolls Royce Spirit of Innovation, and the hydrogenpowered Apus i-2.
ILA Berlin again confirmed its standing as Europe’s leading aerospace exhibition. At the Space Pavilion the focus was on the benefits of space flight for life on Earth. One high point was the Astronaut Talk featuring Matthias Maurer, Alexander Gerst, Thomas Reiter and Reinhold Ewald.
The Advanced Air Mobility displays presented the entire spectrum of unmanned aircraft systems and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs). At the Future Lab the main topic was the path to achieving climate-neutral aviation by 2050. At the Military Support Center the Luftwaffe and industry demonstrated how together they are working to ensure the operational readiness of aircraft and equipment. And on the stage of the International Supplier Center ISC the focus was on the latest topics that concern suppliers – including climate-neutral aviation, digitalisation and the stability of supply chains.
Press release by ILA
Photo by Alessandro Ramazzotti