Economically speaking, North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the strongest metropolitan regions in Europe. This also applies to the aerospace technology sector. The industry is the basis and engine for research, growth and prosperity. It includes world-famous, large corporations, but also many small and medium-sized companies – so-called “hidden champions” – which are extremely successful. Over 350 companies in North Rhine-Westphalia are already active in the aerospace sector and have a turnover of several billion euros per year. Thousands of jobs are associated with it; over 5,000 of them at the eight airports in the country alone.

North Rhine-Westphalia also impresses when it comes to education and training: Many of the universities and technical colleges specifically train students for careers in the aerospace industry and deal with key topics such as aerodynamics, propulsion systems or lightweight construction. Of course, there are also numerous companies that train aerospace personnel and, for example, enable specialisation in the field of electrical engineering for aerospace systems. In addition, North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the most important European regions for training of pilots.