Hosted by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Ottawa, the 11th IFAR Summit coined its' overall theme with the title "Enabling the Future - Certification & Regulation". With over 60 participants at the first and almost the equivalent number at the second part of the summit it was a great success overall. The challenging task of providing a virtual platform for discussion on the future of aviation after Covid-19, how IFAR can support the aerospace sector and the topic of certification and regulation in an era of rapid innovation was achieved.

Research institutes from throughout the world visited Royal NLR from 23rd to 26th September 2019 to discuss the theme of ‘Zero-Emission Aviation by 2050’ at the 10th Annual IFAR Summit. Being IFAR's 10th Summit it offered a familiar setting for an intensive meeting at which shared objectives and ambitions were discussed openly.

The 9th IFAR Summit was held at the invitation of the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, TsAGI, Russia in Moscow from 27 – 29 November 2018. A technical tour and the participation of IFAR in the International Scientific and Business Forum dedicated to TsAGI's 100^th anniversary  completed the program of IFAR`s high level representatives  in Moscow.

On the occasion of the 8th annual IFAR Summit, the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) hosted 17 IFAR member organizations in Pretoria, South Africa, from 23 to 25 October 2017. The participants exchanged information on members´ aviation research focus areas, discussed collaborative activities with internal and external partners, considered issues of common interests, among others.

On the occasion of the 7th annual IFAR Summit, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) hosted 18 member organizations in Daejeon, South Korea from 27 to 29 September 2016.  The participants exchanged information on members´ aviation research focus areas, discussed collaborative activities with internal and external partners and considered issues of common interests.

The 6th IFAR Summit tooke place on invitation of NASA at Ames Research Center in Moffet Field, California, USA, from 6 -10 October 2015. The results of the Summit 2015 as well as further information on IFAR area available at "IFAR Documents" and http://www.ifar.aero 

The 5th IFAR Summit 2014 was held in Zhuhai from 8 to 12 November, 2014, during the occasion of the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China). The Chinese Aeronautical Establishment (CAE) hosted senior level representatives from IFAR participating organizations. During the Summit, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of South Africa, and the Centre for Excellence and Innovation in the Automotive Industry (CEIIA) of Portugal were accepted as new members bringing the total number of participating nations to 26.

The 4th IFAR Summit 2013 was held in Moscow, from 24 to 28 August 2013, during the occasion of the International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS).  Central AeroHydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) hosted senior level representatives from 22 of the IFAR participating organizations.  Under the main theme of the summit and the accompanying events, ”Future of Aviation,“ the members evaluated the progress of IFAR work and decided on their future activities.

On the occasion of the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition 2012 in Nagoya this year´s and 3rd “IFAR Summit 2012” was held in Nagoya, Japan, at the Yagoto Koushoji Temple on 13 and 14 October 2012. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, invited and hosted the high level representatives of 17 IFAR organisations.

Two organisations from Brazil and the United Kingdom joined IFAR as new Members. Now IFAR connects worldwide 23 government aviation research institutions with about 34 000 researchers in aviation.

The second IFAR Summit was an important step forward for this global aviation research forum: High level representatives from worldwide twenty aviation research organisations met in Méry-sur-Oise, France, from 18 to 19 June 2011. ONERA acted as host. The Summit decided on the IFAR Charter, on the IFAR Framework Document on aviation research, currently focussing on climate impact and noise, on the accession of new members, the exchange on education and promotion, the Chair and Vice-Chair and the next IFAR Summit in 2012,see Declaration.

The first IFAR Summit was held on June 6-7, 2010 in Luebbenau close to Berlin in connection with the ILA Berlin Air Show. 17 key leaders of aeronautical research organisations met to establish the International Forum for Aviation Research and to continue the work of the Berlin Summit in 2008. The focus of this summit was on climate change which has currently the highest priority in the public.

Based on an initiative by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) key leaders of 12 international aeronautical research organisations met in Berlin  to address the question of the Air Transport of the Future in the context of climate change. In this regard, the participants agreed that any research and strategy contributing to new solutions will have to reconcile the increasing need for international mobility in a globalised work-sharing economy with the challenge of simultaneously developing new solutions to balance the climate effects of the accompanying world-wide air traffic growth.