The aeronautical engineers at Ingolstadt University of Technology are delighted to have the state-of-the-art Pearl 700 pre-production flight test engine, which has been made available to them on permanent loan by Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co. KG. 

Weighing several tonnes, the engine is now mounted on a specially designed base in the university’s G Building and is available for teaching and research purposes, as well as for visitors. 

The Pearl 700 – the latest generation of high-end technology 

The Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 is the most advanced engine in the Pearl family and powers the Gulfstream G700 and G800 business jets. It is a brand-new engine model that was only certified a few years ago. 

Key performance features: 

• 18,250 pounds of take-off thrust – around 8 per cent more than the previous model
• 12 per cent better thrust-to-weight ratio
• 5 per cent lower specific fuel consumption (SFC)
• Certification status: EASA certification 14 September 2022

Our Pearl 700 – A special pre-production flight test engine 

The engine on display at THI is a pre-production flight test engine that was used in flight testing of the Gulfstream G700 prior to series production. It has actually been flown, and all flights are fully recorded in the logbook. 

Its special features include: 

• Mass as exhibited: approximately 2.6 tonnes
• Including the inlet and thrust reverser
• Aircraft-specific fittings such as cables, hoses and other components
• The engine is displayed exactly as it was during flight testing – complete with all the assemblies required for operation and extensive instrumentation

Bringing technology to life – for study, research and the public

The Pearl engine will in future be used in lectures on the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in Aeronautical Engineering and offers valuable insights into the real-world high-tech powerplants of modern business aircraft.

The project was supported by numerous THI departments and has attracted considerable attention from both students and visitors.

THI would like to express its sincere thanks to: 

• Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co. KG for the generous permanent loan
• the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• the THI Friends’ Association
• the Lions Club Ingolstadt – Hohe Schule

Thanks to this support, it is possible to integrate state-of-the-art aviation technology directly and practically into teaching.

Further information on the Pearl engine: 

• Rolls-Royce
• Gulfstream
• EASA: Engine Type Certificate

Information sessions and contact details: 

An introduction to the engine is held once a term. If you are interested or have any questions, please contact Prof. Ludwig König directly by email: ludwig.koenig@thi.de

An essential component of the aeronautical engineering course is the independent construction of a flying drone with parameterisation of the flight control. For this purpose, the necessary basic components are provided and a flight mission to be fulfilled as well as general conditions are handed out at the beginning of the course.

• Identification and feedback – applying lecture content to a practical example
• Learning by Doing – developing and implementing your own solution strategies and seeing the results
• Hand in Hand – Contributing strengths and skills to the team and developing social skills
• Meet the Challenge – one task, several solution concepts, a competition, only winners
• Taking on a challenge – trying out new things and discovering yourself

Live insights into the drone challenge during the summer term of 2023 at the AIRBUS airfield

• The task: Design, construction and assembly of a drone
• The mission: to pick up a payload – transport it to a destination – and deposit the payload at the destination
• The criteria:

     #1 Accuracy in reaching the target coordinates

     #2 Maximum payload

     #3 Maximum transport range on a single battery charge

In addition to automotive engineering, aviation plays a key role in and around the Ingolstadt region. Professors Uli Burger, Erol Özger, Ludwig König, Andreas Frey and Harald Göllinger conduct research in this field in the "Aeronautical Engineering" competence area. Their laboratories are very well equipped. Highlights of the laboratory equipment include a flight simulator, two gas cannons, an Instron CEAST drop unit, various engine models and equipment for non-destructive material testing (ultrasound, eddy current). This equipment allows research to be conducted at the highest level. Among other things, collisions of aircraft with drones, new propulsion technologies and flight mechanical behaviour are researched. The close links with regional companies enable the competence field to transfer its research results into practice.

Duration: 10/2018 – 09/2022

Volume: 588.383,89 €

Goals

• Determination of damage to aircraft structures due to collisions with unmanned aerial vehicles.
• Determination of the damage potential of the energy storage device in collisions with manned aerial vehicles
• Behaviour of the energy storage device during high velocity impact events (bombardment tests at approx. 100 m/s)
• Expansion of the competence field of aeronautical engineering

Duration: 04/2016-07/2017

Volume: 1,2 Mio €

Goals

• Investigation of advanced composite solutions for impact and vibration-prone structures.
• Further development of material models and modelling methods
• Broadening the material database
• Implementation of the findings for mobility applications

Aeronautics Research Programme V-3 Funded by BMWi
Duration: April 1, 2019 - June 30, 2022
Volume: 267.200 € (plus VAT)

Coopoeration project with:

AES Aerospace Embedded Solutions, Airbus Defence and Space, Diehl Aerospace GmbH, Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH, Philotech Systementwicklung und Software GmbH,Karlsruher Institut für Technologie KIT, Konzept Informationssysteme GmbH, SYSGO GmbH, Nord-Micro GmbH & Co. OHG , Fortiss

Aims of the research:

Integration of software requirements into model-based software development, integration of software building block elements and knowledge transfer.

We’ll do everything we can to help you share your experiences! After all, it’s an important part of your degree. 

Aerospace engineering involves not only mastering the theoretical fundamentals but also understanding how these are applied in technical products within the aviation industry. The Ingolstadt region is home to several companies in the aviation sector, and there are renowned aviation museums in southern Bavaria – an ideal environment for learning about current developments and trends in aeronautical engineering, as well as its history.

As well as field trips, visiting trade fairs offers a good opportunity to identify your own areas of interest and make targeted contact with companies, with a view to undertaking a work placement or writing your Bachelor’s thesis there, or to plan your career entry. 

“During my degree, I learnt a great deal from interacting with other students – exams, work placements and everything else that goes with it.” The aim of Meet the Fleet is to encourage precisely this kind of interaction amongst students. Some events are organised by lecturers, others by students.

Every four weeks, always on Wednesdays from 6 pm, the aeronautical engineers meet for a regular get-together at Reimanns at the THI. It’s an opportunity to catch up with one another throughout the semester, get to know the lecturers better and discuss a wide range of topics, approaches and possible solutions. 

We want you to make the most of your degree in Aeronautical Engineering, and we’re here to support you in doing so. “I studied Process Engineering because an academic adviser gave me a very clear picture of both the course and the future career prospects. Materials science was also on my shortlist – but in the end, it was a gut decision,” says Prof. Armin Soika, who is now an academic adviser for the Bachelor’s degree programme in Aeronautical Engineering.

If you’re passionate about aviation and interested in studying aeronautical engineering; if you’re a female student and need further good reasons to pursue a technical degree; or if you’re an aeronautical engineering student with questions about your future academic path – please get in touch with us.

What does a student ambassador do:

▹Advising prospective students (online and in person)

▹Representing THI at fairs and school visits

▹Acting as a testimonial for photo and video shoots

▹Contributing and implementing your own ideas for the website design

▹Leading campus tours

▹Research into the degree programme (including interviews with alumni, etc.)

https://www.thi.de/service/angebote-fuer-schulen-und-schuelerinnen/studienbotschafter

What does a mentor for schoolgirls and female students do:

▹Supporting sixth-form pupils in choosing the right technical degree programme

▹Supporting first-year female students as they begin their studies

▹Sharing experiences regarding the course structure and starting a career

▹A programme of workshops and company visits

https://www.thi.de/service/mentoring-fuer-schuelerinnen-und-studentinnen-in-technik