Skift Take
The Hanseatic City of Hamburg has become an example of the advancements possible when local government gets behind its aviation community by providing financial, promotional, and logistical support.
The city of Hamburg has invested $110 million to establish a new science centre dedicated to the study of future aviation technologies which will improve the air travel experience.
The ZAL Centre of Applied Aeronautical Research will house up to 600 specialists in fields of research such as fuel cells, aircraft cabin technology, 3D printing, Internet of Things (IoT), acoustics, and virtual reality in its new 26,000 square meter modern building.
As Lukas Kirchner, Head of Communications at Hamburg Aviation explains:
“The concept of the ZAL stems from 2008, when Hamburg Aviation won the Federal Government’s Leading Edge Cluster Competition, bringing $88 million for collaborative research projects into the city. Part of our 'pitch' back then was the idea to institutionalize R&T at the site by creating a joint R&T facility for all involved companies and universities here at the site.”
The ZAL entity (GmbH) was founded shortly after, in 2009, with the collaboration of nine stakeholders: City of Hamburg, Airbus, Lufthansa Technik, the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), and four universities. Holding the largest
