DLR_Uni_Summer_School 2024 once again gets students off the ground Promoting young talent with flight tests and simulator flights

This year’s DLR_Uni_Summer_School 2024 took place from 9 to 13 September in Braunschweig. During the week, students from all over Germany had the unique opportunity to follow in the footsteps of flight test engineers. They were able to apply their theoretical knowledge to research flights and evaluate the data collected. The event was organised by the Institute of Flight Guidance (IFF) of Technische Universität Braunschweig and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). A varied accompanying programme at the research airport rounded off the event.

The participants of the DLR_Uni_Summer_School 2024 in Braunschweig. Photo credits: Kristina Rottig/TU Braunschweig

This year, around 40 students from universities specialising in aerospace engineering took part in the five-day programme. Participants came from RWTH Aachen, TU Berlin, TU Braunschweig, TU Darmstadt, TU Dresden, TU Hamburg, TU Munich and the University of Stuttgart.

Research flights

The research flights were carried out by two aircraft: a Reims Cessna F406 ‘D-ILAB’ from IFF and a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ‘D-FDLR’ from DLR.

Prior to the week-long event, all participants had familiarised themselves with the theory behind the measurement flights. On the first day of the Summer School, the participants presented their acquired knowledge to each other as an introduction. They also learned some theoretical basics about the research aircraft and the research flights before the first groups took to the air.

The students took their seats in the aircraft and, using the typical measurement cards, noted down all the relevant data for evaluation during the flights. In addition to the handwritten notes, a protocol from the on-board measurement system was handed out, which the groups used to independently evaluate the flight performance and flight characteristics during the week. At the end of the Summer School, the results were presented to the other groups.

The organisation team of the DLR_Uni_Summer_School 2024. Photo credits: Kristina Rottig/TU Braunschweig

Accompanying programme

In addition to the flight programme and data analysis, the students were offered a great programme at the research airport and at DLR. At DLR, various tours of selected institutes and facilities took place. The research flights were complemented by the simulator of DLR’s EC 135 FHS research helicopter. There were also tours of two institutes at TU Braunschweig (Institute for Flight Propulsion and Turbomachinery and Institute for Fluid Mechanics). The company Aerodata also presented itself and its facilities to the participants. The accompanying programme was rounded off by the opportunity to visit the tower at Braunschweig Wolfsburg Airport, including an interesting presentation on the remote tower concept here in Braunschweig.

We would like to thank all the organisers and participants of this year’s Summer School and hope to welcome many more interested students from all over Germany here in Braunschweig next year.

Author: Renato Lumia