The first Symposium Transsonicum took pl.ace in Aachen thirteen years ago during a period of decreasing governmental. and industrial. support for transonic flow research. Since then, there has been a strong revival. in interest in transonic flow research so that the number of partici pants at the second symposium remained about the same as at the first even in spite of tight financial. means and Limited governmental. support. During both meetings the number of participants reached the upper Limit of the number desirabl.e for such a symposium. Participants came from aU over the worl.d and there was a weU bal.anced distribution of participants from aU countries interested in transonic flow research. The discussions - mostLy conducted in EngLish - were stimul.ating and there was a great deal. of interest in the l.ectures as was shown by the good attendance even during the l.ast session on Saturday morning.