What does a rowing ergometer have to do with flying? At the Institute for Air Propulsion Systems at the University of Stuttgart, interested visitors were able to find out exactly that. The SynTrac rowing ergometer was set up there, on which visitors could use their strength to make a passenger aircraft take off and keep it in the air in a simulation. This gave interested visitors a feeling for the amount of energy (extrapolated in each case) that is required for this task today. In the second step, they were then able to experience for themselves how this effort would be reduced and how much less work would have to be done if the SynTrac version of efficient, highly integrated aircraft were realized in the future.

Of course, it is not only the amount of work itself that is reduced, but also the impact on the environment as a consequence. While top sporting performances were being achieved on the rowing ergometer, other spectators were able to find out more about the SynTrac project and its sustainability mission. Not only were Syntrac’s technical innovations presented, but visitors were also given a vivid illustration of the benefits that sustainable flying can deliver for the society as a whole.

The rowing ergometer is part of the Science Lab, which is being developed as part of the SynTrac public relations project and aims to make physical phenomena and processes tangible and to illustrate the goals of SynTrac for the non-scientific public and other audiences.