Budget contraints on both sides of the Atlantic are holding back technological developments, according to the aerospace industry
DEEDEE DOKE / LONDON
The aerospace research and development race is on between Europe and the USA. But on both sides of the Atlantic, industry is in agreement on one key point: more public money is needed to fuel R&D advancement.
In the USA funding is in a continual downward spiral. David Swain, Boeing's engineering chief, notes a decline in US Government investment in aerospace technology, especially aeronautics, over the last several years. He says national funding for aerospace R&D has been cut by 50% over the past 20 years, and NASA's investment in aeronautics research slashed by 40% in the last six years.
"Budget constraints mean fewer technology initiatives and fewer prototype demonstration programmes. This has translated into fewer opportunities to develop and transition leap ahead technologies...a strong base research and technology programme in aeronautics and aerospace is essential," he says.
John Douglass, president and chief executive of the Aerospace Industries Association, sees an erosion in aerospace R&D investments. "We are putting US aeronautical leadership at risk by our miserly treatment of aviation, and indeed aerospace R&D," he says. He wants to see an additional $50 billion government investment over the next five years.
EC priorities
In Europe, the picture is complicated by the European Commission's apparent "one step forward, two steps back" approach to aeronautics. In 1998, aeronautics assumed new prominence among EC priorities by being designated a key action and receiving €700 million ($599 million) under the EC's 1998 to 2001 R&D funding vehicle, the Fifth Framework Programme. Earlier this year, a top-level group of aeronautics "personalities", appointed by EC research commissioner Philippe Busquin, launched the ambitious and comprehensive Vision 2020 plan (Flight International 6-12 February) to map out industry R&D goals for the next 20 years.
Now, however, as the EC plans its outlay for the 2002-2006 Sixth Framework Programme, aeronautics industry leaders fear their sector will lose financial ground in the next round of R&D funding.
Under the tentative Sixth Framework financial plan, the EC has linked aeronautics and space into a single category and proposes to give the two sectors €1 billion in total. In addition, aspects of air traffic management infrastructure facilitating the so-called "single European sky" are to be funded under the aeronautics and space designation. The €1 billion reflects a €300 million increase over Fifth Framework funding for aeronautics, but if the €1 billion must be shared with space interests and fund the ATM requirements, the amount to be spent on aeronautics would be likely to fall below Fifth Framework expenditures.
In the Sixth Framework planning document, the EC concedes that aeronautics and space are "two technically and economically separate sectors" but adds that the two are "closely associated on account of industrial and political implications". The document also acknowledges that the USA already invests three to six times as much as Europe in aeronautics R&D, depending on the sector.
If Sixth Framework funding for aeronautics R&D falls below Fifth Framework levels, "that would definitely send a wrong signal towards implementing the Vision 2020," says Peter Fichtmüller, outgoing secretary general of AECMA, the European aeronautics industry group, now chair of its policy commission. "It would jeopardise all the efforts that are ongoing, because everyone agrees that to achieve that vision, there must eventually be an increase in funding, and it starts with a decrease."
Fichtmüller goes on to say that a funding drop will lead to "demotivation" in working toward the Vision 2020 goals as well as to diminish rationale for a high-level advisory group for aeronautics R&D that is to be launched within weeks. (See sidebar.) Vision 2020 flatly states that securing global leadership in aeronautics depends on public funding for its R&D, and that "gradual realisation of our ambitious vision must be facilitated by an increase in public funding".
Funding shortfall
Trevor Truman, chairman of AECMA's operations commission adds: "If the same funding envelope also has to provide for some space activities, then it needs to recognise the totality of the tasks and to be correspondingly sized to embrace both. The initial indications are that the relevant envelope is not large enough by a substantial margin."
Any shortfalls that develop in pursuing Vision 2020 goals for Europe will not be made up by individual European countries, Truman notes. "They all have different, individual needs. You can't expect a number of national programmes to substitute for what needs to be done at the European level."
AECMA continues to argue its case for a net increase in aeronautics R&D funding prior to the EC's final adoption of a Sixth Framework budget.
The dual item priority of aeronautics and space are one of eight identified for R&D funding in the Sixth Framework. Among those priorities targeted for more money than aeronautics and space are information society technologies (€3.6 billion); anticipating the EU's scientific and technological needs (€2.3 billion); genomics and biotechnology for health (€2 billion); and sustainable development and global change (€1.7 billion).
(Additional reporting Ramon Lopez)
Source: Flight International
