Ever wondered where the future of flight is being shaped? Here at the Institut für Aerodynamik und Gasdynamik, or IAG, in Stuttgart, pioneering research has been conducted since 1946. It all began with Professor Arthur Weise, who founded the “Institut für Gasströmungen.” Later, in 1960, it was renamed to the Institut für Aerodynamik und Gasdynamik.
Professor Weise was quite the visionary. He focused on designing and developing a short-duration supersonic wind tunnel. This impressive facility was realized in the sixties. He also explored optical methods for data acquisition.
In 1974, Professor Franz Xaver Wortmann took over the IAG’s leadership. His research focused on incompressible flows. He studied turbulence and its control. Wortmann gained international recognition for his aerodynamic design of airfoils for gliders and rotorcraft, known as “FX-Profiles”. He initiated the construction of the laminar water channel, the laminar wind tunnel, and the gust wind tunnel, which he used for testing wind turbines.
After Professor Wortmann’s death, Dr. K. Förster and Professor Algermissen led the IAG. Dr. Förster was appointed professor in 1976. His area was unsteady gas dynamics. He was the first at the institute to consistently use numerical methods with computers. Following Wortmann’s death, he took over as acting director in 1985 until his retirement in 1988. Professor Algermissen from the neighboring Institute for Thermodynamics of Aerospace Engineering, or ITLR, headed the IAG in a temporary position.
In 1991, Professor Siegfried Wagner ended the leadership void at the Institut für Aerodynamik und Gasdynamik. He came from the Bundeswehr University Munich in Neubiberg. Wagner rebuilt the institute. He introduced new topics such as numerical simulation of helicopter and wind turbine aerodynamics and aeroacoustics. He integrated a working group that dealt with the direct numerical simulation of laminar-turbulent boundary layer transition.
Professor Claus-Dieter Munz was appointed to the chair of Numerical Fluid Mechanics in 1997. Before that, Munz was at the Karlsruhe Research Center. His research focused on the construction of numerical methods. High-resolution methods for simulating turbulent flows are at the forefront. He also studied the numerical modeling of multiphase and plasma flows.
Since 2004, Professor Ewald Krämer has been at the helm of the Institut für Aerodynamik und Gasdynamik. Previously, Professor Krämer spent 12 years with the Air Force. He then worked in the aviation industry for 15 years. Most recently, he was Head of Flight Physics at EADS Military Aircraft. He was involved in the development of the Eurofighter. His interests lie in experimental and numerical aerodynamics for aircraft, helicopters, and wind turbines.
Since October 15, 2022, Professor Andrea Beck has headed the Numerical Methods in Fluid Mechanics division. Professor Beck succeeded Professor Claus-Dieter Munz. After graduating in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Professor Beck earned her doctorate at the IAG. After a guest professorship at the Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg, Professor Beck returned to the IAG. Her focus is on high-order methods for turbulence simulations.
Today, the IAG continues to be a hub of innovation. Researchers here are dedicated to advancing our understanding of aerodynamics and gas dynamics. Their work impacts everything from aircraft design to wind energy. The Institut für Aerodynamik und Gasdynamik remains at the cutting edge. It shapes the future of aerospace technology and beyond.