From paper routes to runways
Although officially founded in 1999, airsight’s story began much earlier. From a young age, Holger was fascinated by aviation, using his paper boy earnings to earn his private pilot licence. His interest in technology led him to TU Berlin, where he discovered aerospace engineering and met René Dörries, a fellow aviation enthusiast. The two began working together on a project in Frankfurt, planning the Athens airport.
Holger and René commuted from Berlin, staying with friends or at the office, and this experience solidified their partnership. Holger later moved to New York as a management consultant, while René stayed in Frankfurt working with Frankfurt Airport. Eventually, Holger and René decided to join forces to turn a software for airport obstacle calculation into a product, marking the birth of airsight.
From humble beginnings to global expansion
In the beginning, it was just Holger and René working for the company, with Holger developing the business in Berlin and selling the software, while René working his day job at the Berlin Technical University.
Reflecting on the initial days of airsight, Holger underscores the significance of naming the company:
We wanted a company name starting with an ‘a’, since back in 1999 it was crucial to be at the top of an entry list,
Holger explains. “I thought it was a clever play on words, based on ‘airside’. I was so proud of that name. However, since people often ask me about the correct spelling, I later realised that, just as when naming your own child, you should always consider how others might spell it during the naming process.”
As the company grew from a two-man operation to a larger entity managing multiple projects, there were several remarkable moments. Securing their first major clients for the consultancy was a significant achievement. “I was so proud to be doing projects for big names such as Frankfurt Airport, Airbus and Lufthansa,” Holger reminisces.
“Another pivotal milestone was when we got our office space in Berlin and hired our first employees. It was a moment when I realised the responsibility we had and couldn’t just back out if the company wasn’t going to succeed.” Holger reflects. But the company did succeed, and its operations grew. As airsight’s client base expanded, customers began to inquire about training opportunities, initiating the establishment of airsight’s dedicated training department, which later in turn led to the birth of the consulting department. “As airsight was growing, we started to get projects outside of Germany, first in Vienna and then beyond German-speaking countries. Eventually, we took on projects outside of Europe, such as in Dubai,” Holger explains airsight’s international expansion.
Over the past 25 years, airsight has experienced substantial growth across multiple dimensions. There has been an increase both in the number of employees, as well as an expansion of the client base. Moreover, the company’s portfolio has evolved to include sustainability, heliports, advanced air mobility and other topics adapting to the trends of the aviation industry.
airsight today
During the 2020s, airsight’s growth accelerated. After more than 20 years with the company, Reiko Schroeder and Florian Schmidt joined Holger Schulz and René Dörries as CEOs in 2023. Their strategic vision and leadership have propelled airsight forward. In the same year, airsight Asia-Pacific opened its doors in Singapore, expanding airsight’s presence in the APAC region. A year later, airsight Italy started operations, responding to the demand of the Italian aviation sector.
airsight has made a name in the aviation industry. Today, the airsight team, composed of more than 50 employees and approximately 15 external consultants representing various nations across two continents, prides itself on delivering practical, efficient, and innovative solutions tailored to the clients’ needs. Holger explains what differentiates airsight from its competitors:
Our focus is safety; our focus is high quality. We have a great team spirit, and the colleagues support each other.
The future of airsight
When asked about the future of airsight, Holger takes a moment to reflect. “It’s difficult to predict the future, but I believe airsight will become even better known in the aviation sector globally. I’m certain that in the next few years airsight will enter new regions, such as Africa, South America, and the United States. We will also have to decide, whether we will expand our portfolio to contain more themes.”
Celebrating 25 years of airsight
As the interview concludes, Holger shares some of his favourite memories from airsight parties, including company trips to Prague and to a ski resort, as well as a roulette and blackjack theme party.
Speaking of celebrations, the airsight team commemorated the silver jubilee at the Berlin office earlier this spring with a blue cake, delicious food, and sparkling drinks. CEOs Florian Schmidt and Reiko Schroeder delivered a heartfelt speech, and long-term employees shared some of their favourite memories from their time at airsight.
The journey that began in 1999 has grown into an innovative Berlin-based company providing consulting and training services to the aviation industry. The team has completed over 1,000 consulting projects and delivered training courses for over 10,000 aviation experts worldwide. Here’s to many more years of success and innovation!
