Dear Participants,
on behalf of the IFASD Programme Committee and the Local Organizing Committee of the International Forum on Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics (IFASD), I welcome you to the 21st IFASD, which will take place from to and for the first time in Goettingen (Germany).
The forum is organized by the German Society for Aeronautics and Astronautics Lilienthal-Oberth e.V. with support of the Institute of Aeroelasticity of the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
The International Forum on Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics is the most important event for engineers and researchers working in the fields of aeroelasticity, structural dynamics and aeroservoelasticity, covering computational and experimental methodologies, conceptual design as well as multidisciplinary optimization methods for scientific and industrial applications.
IFASD 2026 will update you on the state of the art in research activities and industrial practices in the fields of Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics. It will provide an excellent opportunity for scientists and engineers from industry, research centers and universities to exchange knowledge and findings of current studies, and to discuss directions for future research.
Goettingen is famous for the Georg-August University, which was founded in 1734 by the British king and elector of Hanover George II. The IFASD conference takes place in the university’s historic premises – the assembly hall and the conference and event centre in the heart of the city at the Wilhelmsplatz.
It was Felix Klein from the Institute of Mathematics, who, in 1907, commissioned Ludwig Prandtl with establishing a new facility for model studies of motorized airships called Motorluftschiffmodell-Versuchsanstalt (MVA), which, in 1919, became the aerodynamic research institution “Aerodynamische Versuchsanstalt” (AVA). Prandtl’s doctoral student Walter Birnbaum made Goettingen’s first contribution to the discipline later known as “aeroelasticity” with his dissertation about the flapping wing.
In 1934, Hans-Georg Küssner, famous for his work on unsteady aerodynamics, came to the AVA and later founded the “Institut für instationäre Vorgänge” (Institute of Unsteady Phenomena), which is the origin of the current DLR Institute of Aeroelasticity, established in 1972. Drawing on its long-standing expertise in numerical and experimental methods, the institute today is working on cutting-edge research topics and helping to shape the future of aeroelasticity.
I am now looking forward to a fruitful conference with an interesting and broad exchange between the participants from universities, research organizations and industry and wish you inspiring days here in Goettingen.
Kind regards
Dear Participants of the 21st International Forum on Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics 2026,
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
On behalf of the Council of European Aerospace Societies (CEAS) and the German Society for Aeronautics and Astronautics (DGLR) I would like to extend a warm welcome to you for the IFASD 2026 in Goettingen!
We would like to extend a big thank you to the conference chair, Lorenz Tichy, from the Institute of Aeroelasticity at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), as well as to all supporters who contributed to making this event possible.
As you may know, Goettingen has a long history of academic excellence and is often referred to as the 'cradle of aerodynamics', thanks to the work of Ludwig Prandtl. In fact, at the beginning of the last century, the term 'aerodynamics' covered the entire field of flight physics, including topics that were later combined and defined as the discipline of aeroelasticity. Therefore, it is only logical to hold the IFASD in the exact city, where high-calibre research in this field is still taking place today.
As the President of CEAS I am proud to provide the framework for activities such as the IFASD. This Forum is a platform where experts from this entire research branch come together, industry, research institutions, academia, operators and regulatory bodies meet, discuss their ideas and exchange knowledge. The scientific programme consists of about 190 papers for presentation and 30 posters on sixteen subject areas. Three plenaries from high-level speakers set the framework. This setting fosters personal interaction between all stakeholders, creating the perfect breeding ground for technological change and real innovation!
As such, the IFASD perfectly translates CEAS’ main objectives into practise:
Let’s make the most of this opportunity to celebrate, share knowledge, and connect. I wish you a productive, enjoyable, and memorable conference!
See you in Goettingen!
Godesberger Allee 70 • 53175 Bonn • ifasd@dglr.de • Fon +49 228 30805-12 • Fax +49 228 30805-24
