Mission

"If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it." Albert Einstein

With this underlying motivation, Bauhaus Luftfahrt was created in November 2005 by the three aerospace companies EADS, Liebherr-Aerospace and MTU Aero Engines as well as the Bavarian Ministry for Economic Affairs. In January 2012, IABG-Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft became the latest member of the institution. The non-profit association is an internationally-oriented think tank. The team of around 35 scientists deals with the future of mobility in general and with the future of air travel in particular. The goal of the research work is to consider the complex system of aviation from different points of view. In every project, the technical, economic, social and ecological aspects are considered holistically.

In keeping with the "Bauhaus" tradition, Germany’s once renowned School of Design, Bauhaus Luftfahrt has set out to be a multi-disciplinary think tank. In Dessau in the 1920s, architects, painters and sculptors worked closely together under the direction of Walter Gropius, leading to the emergence of a widely diversified spectrum of expertise. This is exactly what Bauhaus Luftfahrt is achieving within the European aviation industry – not only in the interdisciplinary dialogue between engineers, economists, computer scientists, physicists, geographers, cultural experts and social scientists, but also in close co-operation with industry, science and politics.

In doing so, the research institution in Munich sees itself confronted with many global challenges. Amongst other things, an increasingly affluent population in the emerging markets will further increase the demand for more air transport capacity. Simultaneously, climate change and increasingly scarce resources will have a crucial impact on the development of energy prices. In addition, the urban citizen of the future will on average be older, placing other demands on travelling. With a comprehensive analysis of these trends, Bauhaus Luftfahrt reveals what ramifications such changes can have on air transportation of the future.

The registered association works independently and in the interest of the public. Here, innovative ideas do not need to be developed to commercial maturity. Rather, Bauhaus Luftfahrt provides answers to the question of which alternatives could conceivably meet tomorrow’s requirements. Scientists at the creative centre are virtually unconstrained by notional taboos. However, strict attention is paid to the fact that visionary concepts and strategies are also always application-oriented and technically feasible. Thus, the traditional disciplines of physics and engineering science inevitably create the foundation for the development of sustainable solutions.