By Sangeeta Saxena
New Delhi. 26 June 2020. Coronavirus has definitely changed the existing orders and the globe is reinventing itself. And could the world of airshows we aerospace journalists live in be far behind? Just when we were getting used to the words lockdown, work from home and sealed offices , it also dawned that first ILA, then Farnborough and after that all shows scheduled missed the year 2020 in the calendar. And just when an airshow buff in India was lamenting and feeling sad, a news from ILA Berlin revived the drooping spirits. A news from the show organisers said – ILA Goes Digital: The world’s first digital aerospace show.
Wondering what it meant realised like Germany and all things Germans ILA also stood for innovation and leadership. In these times in which due to the coronavirus pandemic all large events have been banned, ILA is charting a new course. It has been more than a month ago when ILA started on 13 May, the world’s first digital aerospace show . We sitting in our homes in different parts of the world are being providing fascinating and forward-looking online content that reflects the dynamic developments and innovative drive of the industry.
Every Wednesday from 13 May until the end of July the latest digital content will be available on the ILA Goes Digital website. The wide-ranging programme targets the key ILA topics of innovation, sustainability and digitalisation, the driving forces of future technologies in aerospace. Discussions will look at how to navigate the path towards carbonneutral aviation, smart factories and cybersecurity, for example.
Whether for decision-makers from politics, business, science, research, companies, or industry newcomers and fans of aviation, ILA has always been a platform for exchanging ideas and networking in order to keep in touch with the technological future of the industry. This is an important function it will also fulfil in digital form.
At ILA Goes Digital the focus is just as much on interviews with industry experts, webinars and presentations of innovative technology as it will be on matchmaking. Attendees can join the discussion and make contact under the hashtags #IlaGoesDigital,#AeroSpaceInsights and #WeAreAviation.
Though missing Schonenfeld the small town on the outskirts of the German capital Berlin with sunrays kissing the cold rainy venue, pleasant sight of swarming men and women in various uniforms of the nations of the continent, a pleasant but surprise feel in contrast to the other shows where industry rules the roost. But it is a great effort by the organisers particularly in these difficult times, being able to exchange information on specialist subjects and on a personal level is more important than ever, in order to drive forward innovation and help shape the future of the aerospace industry.
“Today, ILA stands for Innovation and Leaders in Aerospace. Thanks to our efforts, the world’s very first air show is now leading the way into the future,” said Volker Thum, Managing Director of the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) at the last ILA in 2018 and now it seems to be as true as ever. We will keep covering this digital wonder . So it is Auf Wiedersehen for now.
