The first ever airshow in Germany took place in Frankfut am Main in 1909. Shortly after, the German Pilots’ Association and the Association of German Aircraft Makers were established. Between 1912 and 1992, air shows were held at irregular intervals in various German cities including Berlin and Hanover.
The ILA Berlin Air Show in its present form was established in 1992, following the fall of the Berlin Wall. It is held every even year at the Berlin ExpoCenter Airport (BECA), a multi-purpose exhibition venue located 18 km southeast of Berlin. The event is organized by the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) and Messe Berlin GmbH, a large exhibition venue operator.
The format of the ILA Berlin Air Show is similar to other major European airshows like the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK and the Paris Air Show in France. The event starts with three industry days closed to the general public, and then the public are allowed in during the weekend.
The main display sections at the ILA Berlin Air Show include Aviation, Defense & Security, Space, Unmanned Systems, Helicopters, Cyber Security, and more. The show features more than 1,000 exhibitors from almost 50 countries and displays over 300 aircraft. In 2012, the event attracted 125,000 professional visitors and 105,000 members of the general public, including 3,600 journalists from 65 countries.
Alongside aircraft and technology displays, the show’s program includes conferences and symposiums, networking events, educational events, special hands-on activities and tech workshops for kids, and spectacular aerobatics demonstrations.
In 2020, the event was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
