The Special Airport Oberpfaffenhofen was founded by Dornier in the year 1936. In particular the purpose of the airport is development, testing, production and maintenance of regional-, business- and military aircraft as well as helicopters. Also production of aircraft components for Airbus Industries is performed at the airport.

The Special Airport Oberpfaffenhofen is also serving as a research airport. The German Aerospace Centre DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.) performs research flights at the airport with five research aircraft .

Since insolvency of Fairchild Dornier GmbH the EDMO-Flugbetrieb GmbH has been taking over the airport as the new operator.

The approval for airport reconstruction work according to the land use planning decision is the basis to add new long-term and high-grade research- and aerospace industry jobs.

The aim is that several efficient, profitable and not interdependent aerospace companies will settle at the Special Airport Oberpfaffenhofen.

Pursuant to the "Landesentwicklungsprogramm" (land development program) the continued existence of the Special Airport Oberpfaffenhofen shall be ensured. The capabilities for an upgrading meeting the demands and the use for business aviation traffic should be kept open.

Striving for the business aviation traffic is necessary for an efficient operation and the continuity of the special airport . Only "low-noise aircraft" with a maximum take-off mass from 2 t up to 50 t operated under instrument flight rules will be considered.

Airline- and planned charter traffic and therewith also traffic of low-cost-carriers as well as air cargo traffic is excluded for the future.