How Do Female Ski Jumpers Fly Optimally? – A Look at the “AeroOpt” Research Project
What makes for a good ski jump? In addition to strength, technique, and timing, one factor plays a decisive role that often goes unnoticed by outsiders: aerodynamics. This is precisely where the AeroOpt research project comes in. The goal is to better understand and specifically optimize body position during a ski jump—particularly for female athletes, who have been inadequately represented in previous research.
A flight simulation system for ski jumping
The project is based on an extraordinary piece of infrastructure: In 2025, a specially developed flight simulation facility was opened in Hinterzarten, making it possible for the first time to realistically simulate the flight phase of a ski jump under controlled conditions. This facility was also developed as part of a research project at Hochschule Offenburg.
While a real jump lasts only a few seconds, athletes can maintain their flight position for a longer period of time in this facility and vary it in a targeted manner. Wind speeds of up to 100 km/h create conditions that closely resemble those on an actual ski jump. This creates a unique “lab” for ski jumping—a facility that, in this form, does not yet exist anywhere else in the world.
Research Gap: Focus on Female Ski Jumpers
A key driving force behind the project is the realization that many existing scientific models and training approaches are based primarily on data from male athletes. However, the specific biomechanical and aerodynamic requirements of female ski jumpers have not yet been adequately researched.
This is exactly where AeroOpt comes in: Through the targeted study of female athletes, the project aims to gain new, well-founded insights that can be translated into gender-specific training methods in the long term.
Simulation Meets Reality
The research focuses on combining numerical simulation with experimental analysis. Using state-of-the-art flow simulations, researchers analyze how air flows around the body and how different body positions or ski angles affect lift and drag.
At the same time, real-world measurement data is collected in the flight simulation facility. Sensors record, among other things, body positions, ski angles, and the forces acting during flight. The unique value lies in the direct integration of both approaches: simulations can be verified and refined using real-world data, while experimental observations can be better explained through theoretical models.
Small Changes with a Big Impact
Time and again, it becomes clear just how sensitive the “ski jumping” system is to even the slightest changes. Even minimal adjustments to head position, arm position, or the angle of the skis can noticeably affect aerodynamics.
These changes have a direct impact on stability during flight and, ultimately, on the distance achieved. For the first time, the flight simulation system allows female athletes not only to understand such effects theoretically but also to experience them firsthand. Through visual feedback and real-time data, they can immediately adjust and optimize their posture.
From Research to Practice
A key goal of the project is not only to evaluate the findings scientifically but also to apply them directly to training practice. Close collaboration with the Freiburg Olympic Training Center, as well as with coaches and athletes, plays a central role in this effort.
New training methods are to be developed in such a way that they can be applied in both elite sports and youth development programs. For young athletes in particular, the facility offers the opportunity to develop a feel for aerodynamically efficient flying positions at an early age—a decisive advantage for long-term performance development.
Outlook
AeroOpt uniquely combines engineering and sports science. The combination of simulation, experimental research, and practical application brings a new level of quality to the analysis of ski jumping while also making an important contribution to closing an existing research gap.
In the coming years, extensive datasets are expected to be generated, enabling a deeper understanding of the relationships between body posture, aerodynamics, and performance. In the long term, this could not only lead to better training methods but also drive overall performance development in ski jumping.
After all, the central question remains: How can the flight through the air be optimized to make it longer, more stable, and more efficient?