Runway Girl Network has been following the story of the ZAL TechCenter civil aviation research facility in Hamburg for quite some time. The project overcame a number hurdles (including political backlash and a brief funding crisis) to exist in all its glory today.

We’re excited that the TechCenter is finally here…and airline passengers of the world should be too. That’s because within the walls of this state-of-the-art facility, dozens of civil aviation power-players  – like Airbus, Lufthansa Technik, Diehl Aerosystems and Zodiac Aerospace, to name just a few – will be working together to improve the passenger experience (#PaxEx), Co2 emissions and aircraft production procedures. This will help ensure the planes we travel in tomorrow are built more efficiently and better address passenger well-being to meet the insatiable global demand for air travel.

We recently attended the VIP grand opening of the ZAL TechCenter – cameraman in tow – to give you a sneak-preview of this €100 million stronghold of technological aviation know-how, bright minds and progressive working methodology.

Also discussed in this episode of #PaxEx TV: A big boost for Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft and a nod to women in aviation and the struggle to gain parity.