TTZ News

Practical, in demand, growing: Aeronautical Engineering at Technischen Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI)

THI has been training aviation specialists for 15 years - a field of study that has continued to develop and is now more in demand than ever. At the anniversary ceremony, it became clear how closely teaching, research and industry work together.

A palpable enthusiasm for aviation: Professor Ludwig König opens the event (Photo: THI).

Milestones and perspectives: Professors Uli Burger, Hans-Joachim Hof, and Armin Soika (left to right) take stock and look ahead to future developments (Photo: THI).

Aviation in focus: Dr Thomas Enders (centre) with THI professors and representatives from industry and the support association in discussion (Photo: THI).

Hands-on research: The Rolls-Royce “Pearl 700” flight test engine is on display up close in the G Building (Photo: THI).

Representatives from academia and industry came together to trace the development of the study course and discuss current challenges facing the industry. THI Vice President Professor Hans-Joachim Hof welcomed the participants on behalf of the University Management and emphasised: "Aeronautical Engineering is a strategically important future field for us - especially at the interface with topics such as autonomous systems, security and defence. This is where skills are developed that are equally crucial for innovation and security." Programme directors Professor Armin Soika and Professor Uli Burger provided insights into key milestones, while Dr Thomas Enders, former CEO of Airbus, outlined the growing need for qualified specialists.

A central point of the programme was the unveiling and official handover of the "Pearl 700" flight test engine by Rolls-Royce. The pre-production engine, which weighs around 2.6 tonnes, was brought to the university on the initiative of Professor Ludwig König and is on permanent loan. With its complete equipment, it enables modern drive technologies to be analysed under realistic conditions. On display in the G-Building, it is an example of the close co-operation with industry.

The development of the study course can also be seen in the number of graduates: Since the introduction of the Bachelor degree programme in Aeronautical Engineering in the winter semester of 2011/12 and the subsequent master's programme in Aeronautical Engineering since 2017/18, the course has become firmly established at THI. A total of almost 400 graduates have been educated to date - 285 Bachelor's and 92 Master's students.

The close links between academic study and research were demonstrated in the laboratories of Professor Gerhard Elsbacher and Professor Ludwig König. Current drone research projects were presented there as part of an open lab. In addition, the team demonstrated a search-and-rescue application with three drones, which showed in a practical way how autonomous systems can be used in a network - based on the UAM network meeting last year.

Since 2011, Aeronautical Engineering at THI has developed into a practical and research-oriented degree programme with close links to industry.

Back