Chancellor Olaf Scholz opened the ILA and is enthusiastic about a model aircraft Photo: Reuters
By Michael Sauerbier
In any case, the chancellor is not afraid of flying. Olaf Scholz (64, SPD) hovered in the government helicopter on Wednesday afternoon for the opening of the ILA Air Show. And inspected almost every military aircraft. Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (52, Greens) did the opposite.
A military Airbus A400M droned low-level maneuvers while Scholz looked at the huge cargo hold of a parked example. And then the current and future Luftwaffe arsenal: Eurofighter, Eurodrone, NH90 helicopter.
In the space hall, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (middle) met Germany’s top astronaut Alexander Gerst (l.) Photo: REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
Beaming hosts everywhere: the chancellor’s wallet is worth 100 billion euros. A third is spent on the nuclear-capable US F-35 fighter-bomber. Pilot Alberto Bosi from Italy’s Air Force Scholz enthusiastically described the feeling of flying.
Crowd favorite: The US F35 Lightning fighter-bomber replaces the Luftwaffe’s old Tornado Photo: EPA
The Chancellor’s message: “Security and sustainability.” In addition to alternative drives and fuels, Scholz announced the development of a European “next generation” fighter jet.
The ILA exhibition area is dominated by military aircraft Photo: REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
Habeck avoided the military show. The Green Economics Minister took a look at the CO2-free jets and planes from MTU and Airbus.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck (52, Greens) marveled at a huge Airbus landing gear made by the Allgäu manufacturer Liebherr in Hall 4 of the ILA Photo: EPA
Habeck: “One major topic outshines all others: making air traffic climate-neutral. The ramp-up should happen by the 1930s.”
Two ILA visitors marvel at a cutaway model of the A400M military transporter Photo: REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
