Niki Lauda’s Lasting Aviation Legacy

“Running an airline is the most difficult job in the world. Racing was more dangerous for my life,” motorsport driver and aviation entrepreneur Niki Lauda, said in a 2009 interview. Lauda, who died on Monday at 70, was a rare example of someone who managed to succeed in two very different industries. Not only was he a three-time Formula One world champion — two of these victories occurring after a horrific crash in 1976 — he also spent almost four decades in the aviation industry, starting three different airlines, all of which carried his name. “He was always eager to found a new airline and to show the big ones that a small company [can do] it much better,” said Karsten Benz, who held senior positions at both Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines. Lauda was happiest solving problems, one of which was how to keep prices low while offering something different than the other low-cost carriers in the market. “He was always very much focused on quality…especially in