CHRISTINA MACKENZIE / PARIS
Earlier this year, six European Nobel prize winners sent an open letter to Europe's political leaders meeting in Spain, warning them Europe was running the risk of losing its place on the international scientific and technological scene because it was not spending enough on R&D. They pointed out that 90% of research is done on a national level by the European Union's (EU) 15 members and suggested research funds should be managed by a European Scientific Council.
In March, EU leaders agreed that 3% of the EU's average gross domestic product should be spent on R&D, up from the current 1.9%. This would entail more effort from countries such as Greece, Portugal and Italy, which invest under 1%, and less from others such as Sweden, which already spend more than 3%.
Philippe Busquin, responsible for R&D within the European Commission, the body which proposes legislation, says the gap between the EU's investments in R&D and those of the USA is now €125 billion ($121.7 million) a year, while the shortfall compared with Japan is around €80 billion, "and it is growing rapidly, hampering innovation potential of the European economy and its prospects for long-term competitiveness and growth".
For aeronautics and space, at least, the European Commission is putting its money where its mouth is and allocating almost €300 million more to this sector in the EU's 6th Research Framework Programme than it received in the fifth such programme, with funding totalling €1.07 billion.
Research will be concentrated in areas highlighted in the Vision 2020 report commissioned by Busquinand written by the so-called "Group of Personalities", respected individuals involved in the aerospace sector. Busquin says their suggestions are "imaginative and ambitious without ever straying into the realm of science fantasy".
Research activities will concentrate on four main areas:
Strengthening competitiveness in the three manufacturing sectors of airframes, engines and equipment by reducing aircraft development costs by 20% in the short term, and 50% in the long; cutting aircraft operating costs by the same margins; and improving passenger comfort.
Minimising emissions and noise pollution by reducing fuel consumption and CO2 production by 50% in the long term; reducing NOx emissions by 20% in the short term and 80% in the long; and reducing noise levels by 4-5dB in the short term and 10dB in the long term, outside airport boundaries.
Improving aircraft safety with the aim of achieving a two-fold reduction in accident rates in the short term and five-fold in the long term.
Increasing the operating capacity and safety of the air transport system by optimising airspace and airport utilisation, reducing delays and integrating the European air traffic management system to facilitate application of the Single European Sky.
The EU's R&D directorate says research in the first of these areas will focus on integrated design systems and processes, and generally more intelligent production technologies; new aircraft configurations; advanced aerodynamics; materials and structures; engine technologies; mechanical, electrical and hydraulic systems; improved cabin environmental conditions; and use of multimedia services to improve passenger comfort.
Research into emissions reduction will focus on low-emission combustion and propulsion concepts; engine technologies and related control systems; low-drag aerodynamic concepts; low-weight airframe structures and high temperature materials; as well as improved flight operations procedures.
The focus of noise reduction efforts will be on powerplant technologies; aero-acoustics for airframe noise reduction; advanced noise-control systems; as well as novel flight procedures in the vicinity of airports.
Where aircraft safety is concerned, research will focus on the investigation of systemic safety models; improved fault-tolerant systems; and human-centred cockpit design: enabling controllable situation awareness for the crew. Research on accident mitigation will focus on improved materials and structures as well as on advanced safety systems.
For the fourth sector, optimising airspace and airport utilisation, research will focus on on-board and ground automation aids; communication, navigation and surveillance systems; as well as flight procedures.
Source: Flight International
