The most ambitious European aeronautics research programme to date is set to be in place soon with the first call for proposals expected on 22 December.
The Council of Ministers is set to adopt the European Commission's Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7) on 6 December, when the work programme will be announced for a project launch of spring 2007.
Several new features of FP7 include an extension of the programme from four to seven years enabling better planning, funding of up to 75% rather than 50% for small businesses of up to 250 employees and a special project area on pioneering air transport of the future.
A senior EC source says: "This is essentially future-looking - up to 40 years into the future - and will look at aircraft configurations such as the flying wing, advanced engines and alternative fuels. The fact that it is a headline area of research gives it increased prominence."
Additional FP7 programme content will follow headlines topics such as the "greening" of air travel security and protection time and efficiency customer satisfaction and safety and cost efficiency in manufacturing and maintenance.
There will be three research tiers: upstream research systems and large projects and Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative demonstrators with both ground and flight testing of system integration. Associate states including Bulgaria, Croatia, Iceland, Israel, Norway and Turkey, and will be eligible to join the 25 EU member states in the research initiative.
Source: Flight International
