Part of my Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology involves undertaking an internship. I thought it would be nice to go abroad for this experience, and I soon came across the DLR in Hamburg, Germany, where I eventually completed a six-month internship.

My placement was therefore at the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), the German national research centre for, amongst other things, aviation, space, energy, transport and safety. With various institutes and sites spread across Germany, the DLR is involved in both fundamental and applied research, the results of which can be utilised in both industry and society.

I worked in Hamburg at the Institute of System Architectures in Aeronautics. The institute operates on the basis of an innovative ‘System of Systems’ philosophy. This means that the focus is not merely on individual disciplines, but on examining aviation as one large, coherent system. In doing so, attention is paid not only to the aircraft itself, but also to the way in which different technologies, aircraft systems and operational concepts influence one another. A key aspect of this is the use of digital models and the integration of different models and data sources, so that aviation can be digitally described and studied throughout its entire life cycle.

This made the working environment a good fit for my placement. My project, after all, was not about a single, isolated component of an aeroplane, but about linking different models to ultimately gain a more complete picture of the climate impact of a flight.

The institute is based at the ZAL TechCenter in Hamburg-Finkenwerder. Hamburg is a key hub for aviation research and industry. Here, the DLR collaborates with other research institutes, universities and companies from the aviation sector, some of which are also based at the ZAL TechCenter. There are several DLR institutes operating within Hamburg, providing a broad range of expertise, from aircraft design and maintenance to air traffic and aviation operations.

During these six months, I was keen to gain experience and see what it is like to work in such a large research institute. However, this period in Hamburg not only gave me the opportunity to carry out substantive research, but also to further my personal development.

Combining models, aircraft and routes

I was able to decide on the topic of my work placement as I went along. Ultimately, I developed a so-called workflow that can be used for a variety of purposes.

In the aviation industry, CO₂ emissions are often the focus when it comes to climate impact, but aeroplanes also have other effects on the climate. A well-known example of this is contrails: the white condensation trails you often see trailing behind aeroplanes. Under certain atmospheric conditions, these can persist for longer and contribute to climate change. These are studied less frequently than, for example, CO₂ emissions, and therefore quickly became a focal point of my placement.

My aim was therefore to develop an open-source workflow that allows different aspects of a flight to be analysed sequentially. To do this, I linked various existing models together.

First, information about a specific flight is processed, such as the flight path, aircraft performance, fuel consumption and emissions. It is then possible to investigate whether and how contrails form and how they develop. Finally, the long-term effects of various emissions (CO₂, NOx, SO₂, etc.) and contrails on the climate can be analysed.

This can be done for various types of aircraft, both existing and new models, and for virtually any flight path. At the same time, the workflow supports various types of input, including an input format developed by the DLR. In this way, the workflow can be deployed widely and, at the same time, help to make various DLR models more accessible to other users.

Thanks to the workflow’s versatility, it can be used for many different ‘use cases’, which is what I did during my placement. One example of this is comparing various new aircraft concepts, such as aircraft powered by hydrogen or Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with conventional kerosene-powered aircraft. This allows, for instance, an investigation into which type of aircraft is suitable for which routes.

This is because the formation of contrails depends heavily on the flight profile, such as flight altitude and weather conditions. You can therefore also examine the impact of flying at different times or on different days, compare different engines, and so on.

The interesting – yet challenging – aspect was that these programmes were not originally designed to work together directly. Part of my work therefore involved finding ways to enable the different models to communicate with one another and to pass on the necessary information correctly.

Conducting research at the DLR

What made my placement at the DLR special was that my work didn’t just consist of conducting research on my laptop. I was part of a large international research environment where many different projects and disciplines come together. Unlike many other institutes, the one in Hamburg was very international. There was also a very welcoming atmosphere, where everyone could talk to one another and a great deal of knowledge was shared.

Within the group, there were regular meetings where projects were discussed and results shared. In addition, I was given the opportunity to attend meetings with other institutes and external partners working on international projects. This allowed me to learn a great deal about how large-scale aerospace research is carried out in practice.

I was also struck by the way knowledge was shared. At a large research institute, you might expect everyone to be primarily focused on their own project. At the DLR, however, there was a strong emphasis on sharing knowledge. Through symposia, group updates and joint meetings, I was regularly kept informed about what other researchers were working on.

Towards the end of my placement, I was given the opportunity to present my research at one of the institute-wide symposia. I was also able to present my research separately to the institute’s director. As an intern, that was a very special experience and a wonderful way to round off my placement.

Hamburg experience

As well as all the educational and unique experiences I gained during my work placement, I also had the chance to enjoy a whole host of fun activities. Hamburg is a true cosmopolitan city, with a huge harbour right in the heart of the city.

One of my favourite parts of the daily journey to my work placement was perhaps the ferry. Every day, I had to take the boat from the centre of Hamburg across the Elbe to Finkenwerder. In the mornings, the ferry was often packed with people who, like me, were on their way to the ZAL. It was actually a very relaxing start to the working day: on one side, you could see the harbour gliding past, whilst on the other, the Hamburg skyline was visible.

As well as the sights in Hamburg itself, I also went on some lovely trips with my friends there to nearby towns such as Schwerin and Lübeck, as well as to Copenhagen and Berlin.

Looking back on my work placement

After six months, I can look back on an internship during which I learnt far more than just the subject matter of my own research. I learnt what it is like to carry out research within a large research institute, how different technical disciplines can be linked, and I have broadened my horizons even further

At the same time, living and working abroad has also brought with it many new experiences. You not only get to know a different working environment, but also meet new people and experience a different culture.

I am therefore very pleased to have been given the opportunity to undertake my placement at the DLR in Hamburg. The contribution from the KIVI Study and Travel Fund helped make this international experience possible, and for that I am very grateful to KIVI.