Overview
One of the biggest and important industries in the EU is aeronautics. Not only for its pivotal role in the transport of people and goods, but for European manufacturing industries as well. If Europe intends to maintain and expand its aeronautics industry it needs to have a strong policy on research and development, putting this into action by carrying out top quality State-of-the-Art research and innovation activities in all areas of the aeronautics industry including: infrastructure, development, passenger care and supply chain operations.
Besides growth and competitiveness, aeronautics policy must also take into account many other factors. Factors like the importance of sustainable development and the manifold environmental objectives as these are of pressing importance.
Balancing environmental goals with research and development objectives is a delicate balancing act that requires a precise set of goals and values. In addition to more and better quality R&D, research programmes need to be better coordinated throughout Europe to avoid duplication of research efforts and to pinpoint which areas of research need focusing. Member States must have opportunities to collaborate on research activities that they would not have do not have the financial, academic or technical means to carry out independently. That provides opportunities for collaboration on activities. Activities that Member States would not have otherwise undertaken independently, due to financial or technical constrains.
AIRTN is a consortium which came together to enhance Europe's aviation industry to prepare for future expansion and competitive success. The initiative first received support under the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). Continued support under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) has allowed further development and more involvement and collaboration between Member States.
AIRTN in FP7 will strengthen this coordination and strive for long lasting co-operation. It will bring added value to the foundation of the European Research Area and the development of a European Research Policy, especially in relation to aeronautics and air transport. The focus will be on the Implementation of Joint Activities and the funding of transnational research.
The aim of all AIRTN activities is to continue strengthening the European Research Area within the framework of the ACARE Strategic Research Agenda. One of AIRTN's foremost goals is to create a better awareness of the research development mechanisms that are already well established in Europe.
The Work Packages (WP) address the following main activities:
- WP1 covers the overall management and coordination of the network activities;
- WP2 will perform an information collection of existing research programmes. It will identify possible research topics for joint activities. It will provide an updated catalogue of aeronautical research infrastructures in various European countries and analysis of corresponding investment policies, priorities and mechanism. It will work on processes for implementing joint activities;
- WP3 is responsible for the development of documentation and process for implementing joint activities. It aims to maximise the added value for those participating in joint activities. Building on the results of AIRTN FP6, WP3 will provide best practise information to member/associated states aiming to set up joint activities or joint research programmes. Experiences and results of other ERA-Nets will be used as an input to define the best possible route to supporting activities. It will support both modalities of joint activities: Project-by-project basis and structured approach;
- WP4 aims to prepare the ERA-Net for transnational programmes by developing schemes and procedures, and also to provide plans and facilities for the network with the possibility of becoming sustainable post EC funding. These aims will be further supported by multinational pilot actions, joint activities and joint calls on some widely used components and instruments of national and international programmes;
- WP5 addresses the dissemination including the pro-active integration of the results from the AIRTN FP7 activities that are released to the public. The public Web-site is used to actively promote the activities of AIRTN FP7 to all relevant stakeholders in aeronautics.The aim of special fora is bringing together specialists from all over Europe to deepen topics of general interests (e.g. horizontal topics) to disseminate European policy and results from existing (European and national) projects and to foster dissemination from existing projects (EU or other) throughout the EU Member States. AIRTN will organise a conference for the dissemination of the results addressing also representatives of other ERA-Nets and other interested parties.Competition in the aeronautics industry worldwide will continue to be fierce and new technology is developing all the time. The legacy of AIRTN will be in the increased trust between the involved countries of Europe wil
Funding
Results
Interim Results:
Aeronautics is important in Europe: socially, economically and strategically. AIRTN continues to strengthen the foundation of European Research in Aeronautics and Air Transport. This is done through further cooperation and coordination of various research programmes (national and regional), and the development of policies in support of strategic planning.
Policy implications
Set at the highest political level, European ambitions are to become the most innovative economy in the world. Aeronautical capability plays a pivotal role in this. Europe must take full advantage of the predicted significant growth in air transport by 2020. A State-of-the-Art air transport industry is a prerequisite for the EU to maintain it position as world leader.
The AIRTN project therefore promotes enhancing and centralising European aeronautics focus. Furthermore, the project focusses on improving the alignment of national programmes. This will lead to more innovation and to solutions with respect to policy-driven challenges. AIRTN aims at establishing synergies between aeronautics stakeholders both throughout Europe, and third countries.
Note that Aeronautics and Air Transport belong to the largest and most important industries in the EU. Not only in terms of the transportation of people and goods, but also for European manufacturing as a whole.
Strategy targets
Innovating for the future (technology and behaviour): a European Transport Research and Innovation Policy