The field of aeroelasticity encompasses the physical processes that arise on flow-around structures when the aerodynamic loads interact with the elastomechanical forces in the structure. Aeroelastic processes occur, for example, on plants or on buildings in free wind flow. In the case of aircraft, however, aeroelastic stability is of particular importance: aircraft are relatively flexible structures under the pressure of extremely lightweight construction. Aeroelastic deformations and vibrations can lead to problems with far-reaching aeronautical consequences. The Wright brothers were already confronted with aeroelastic problems and initially came up with solutions more intuitively than by recognizing the physical relationships. Scientific research has been carried out in Göttingen since the 1920s: works by L. Prandtl, W. Birnbaum, H. Wagner, H.G. Küssner, H. Blenk and P. Jordan represent milestones in the development of aircraft aeroelasticity in accordance with their international acclaim. The Aeroelasticity Department, founded in Göttingen in 1957, became an independent Institute for Aeroelasticity after the AVA was transferred to the DFVLR. It is the only large-scale research institute of its kind in Europe. In particular, multidisciplinary research work and industrial contracts are carried out at the institute with the aim of reliably predicting aeroelastic phenomena so that new developments can be designed to be operationally reliable. Experimental and numerical methods are developed and applied for these analyses. In the last decade, research has focused on nonlinear phenomena of modern transport aircraft. Other important areas of research concern the aeroelasticity of turbomachinery and rotorcraft. As part of the Europeanization of the aviation industry, the institute cooperates intensively with the major French research institute ONERA.
