But between you and me: a career orientation day at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) mostly means that by the evening, you collapse into bed incredibly happy, but with a spinning head and your feet on fire.
Here is our unofficial, completely unvarnished recap of our expo marathon on the 16th of April 2026.
Moin from our North German corner!
Before we kick off the day: a massive thank you to our collaboration partner, Hanse-Aerospace e.V., for the stand. It was brilliant that our young crew could set up shop there with absolutely zero fuss.
Career Paths in Aviation: Authentic First-Hand Insights
The morning belonged to the school pupils, the afternoon to the university students. As part of our partnership with Airbus, we were lucky enough to have some fantastic support: their ‘AIRzubis’ (apprentices) and dual-study students were on constant duty at our stand, alongside the brilliant Expo team from HAW Hamburg. Our thinking? Nobody can show young people the route into aviation – and the outstanding career prospects post-graduation – better than those who are currently walking that very path themselves. A massive thank you to this cracking crew who added so much value to our exhibition presence!
Aviation’s 20-Minute Speed Dating
Our 20-minute exhibitor slots were a genuine highlight. Imagine it a bit like speed dating, just with more aircraft components and far fewer awkward silences. Anyone who thought the supplier industry was dry has clearly never seen how fascinated young people can be by high-tech materials – even cable ties were highly sought after!
Together with our partners Hanse-Aerospace e. V. and Hamburg Aviation e. V., we also thoroughly banged the drum for Hamburg as an aviation hub at our joint stand. The verdict: the aviation sector rocks – from agile SMEs to major corporations. The diverse entry-level opportunities offer the next generation career prospects that are more securely bolted down than an aircraft seat.
The Woman Behind the Curtain: Thank You, Laura!
At this point, we need to briefly veer off the official agenda. A day like this doesn’t just organise itself through sheer willpower and a sprinkle of fairy dust. If the slots run perfectly to the minute, the coordination goes off without a hitch, and nobody goes missing in Hall B6, we have one person above all to thank: Laura.
As the main organiser, she did the lion’s share of the heavy lifting and masterfully directed this whole spectacle from behind the scenes. She was actively supported in this by our working student, Zeynep. Laura pulled the whole thing off so magnificently that the rest of us basically just had to nod competently and smile. (Laura, your coffee supply for this week is on us – and we’ll definitely make sure Zeynep gets her fair share too!)
A Standing Ovation for Our Partners
Naturally, all of this was only made possible by the enormous commitment of the entire industry. The company representatives fielded the countless questions from the next generation with tremendous patience, approachability, humour, and openness.
Our deepest thanks for these invaluable insights go to our AIX 2026 All-Stars:
- Airbus (A special thank you for “lending” us your wonderful dual-study students and AIRzubis!)
- Bertrandt Group
- Boeing
- DEMGY EIS
- Diehl Aviation
- HellermannTyton Deutschland
- Lufthansa Technik
- Mankiewicz Coating Solutions
- Treo – Labor für Umweltsimulation GmbH
- TRIUMPH
A huge thank you also goes to the Expo team from HAW Hamburg. Alongside the dual-study students and AIRzubis from Airbus, you were the absolute heart and soul of the Q&A sessions!
The Bottom Line: Despite the packed schedule, everyone still had enough time to explore the expo under their own steam and get hands-on with the future of flying. It was a wild, highly successful day full of technology, innovation, and inspiration. We are already looking forward to the next generation of aviation – and to wearing comfortable shoes again next year!
