Dr. Stephanie Willmann, Country Director Germany, Rolls-Royce International Ltd.

ILA Portraits - Pioneers of the aerospace industry and political decision-makers provide personal insights and assess current industry trends.

1 Where do you see the aerospace industry in 2050, which technologies that are not commonly used today will we take for granted in the future?

ANSWER: Highly efficient gas turbines with sustainable fuels, fully and hybrid electric drive systems or hydrogen - these technologies will be a matter of course in 2050 and thus continue to ensure that people, cultures and industries are sustainably connected worldwide.

2 How can we achieve the ambitious sustainability goals? What exactly are the drivers of change here?

ANSWER: To achieve climate neutrality we need to transform the core systems that constitute our global economy – the challenges we face are therefore enormous. However, there are also significant opportunities for the German and European economy to take a global leadership position here. To implement our ambitious goals, we need targeted investments in R&D from the industry and accompanying support through programmes such as the German Aeronautics Research Programme or the European CleanAviation Programme.

3 Was there any development in the industry that has moved you recently? If so, which one?

ANSWER: Successful engine tests with hydrogen, flights running on 100% sustainable fuels or electric propulsion - all this is not a dream of the future but is already happening today at Rolls-Royce. This shows how quickly the German aerospace industry is driving innovation.

 

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