"Fly your ideas" – under this title, Airbus launched a competition last October to seek new ideas for the aircraft of the future, in which 225 teams from 130 universities worldwide took part. The first round is now complete, and the Oldenburg team – comprising four Engineering Physics students – is among the 86 teams still in the running.
They are competing against teams from institutions such as Stanford University, the Georgia Institute of Technology and Imperial College London.

The student group, named ‘Lightweight Noise Killers’ and supervised by Oldenburg-based acoustics expert Prof. Dr Volker Mellert, has developed significant improvements to sound insulation in the laboratory. These are particularly well-suited to lightweight construction in aeroplanes, as better sound insulation is achieved using lighter materials than usual. Another positive effect is that less weight means lower fuel consumption and thus a reduced environmental impact.

The second round of the competition will conclude on 31 March 2009. By the end of April 2009, experts from Airbus will carry out a selection of five teams that will present their ideas and developments to a panel of experts in Paris. The winning team will receive 30,000 euros, whilst 15,000 euros will be awarded for second place.

Information: www.airbus-fyi.com

Contact: Prof. Dr Volker Mellert, Institute of Physics, Tel.: 0441/798-3569,
Email: