On 8 December 2015 EREA received representatives of most of the stakeholders of the European aviation research community in Brussels at its annual event. The current EREA Chairman Josef Kaspar (VZLU) welcomed the participants at “The Hotel” and looked back at his two-years’ chairmanship of the association. During these two years EREA improved its relationships with other stakeholders and celebrated its 20th anniversary. Furthermore the EREA Future Sky Initiative has officially started its concrete work with the launch of the EREA Future Sky Safety project, which was positively evaluated in the frame of the call H2020-MG-2014 on transport MG-1.4-2014. Josef Kaspar emphasised the importance for EREA to work in close cooperation with industry, also within European projects such as Horizon 2020, Clean Sky 2, SESAR 2020 and Future Sky.
During his keynote speech Rolf Henke, Chairman of ACARE, highlighted the Strategy development in aviation research and explained the needs for an update of the ACARE Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), which would have its kick-off meeting on 22nd January 2016 in Brussels. Finally he raised the question on how to further develop the European Aviation research and innovation sector, which might need a dedicated European body combining both currently independent bodies and instruments.
In the second key note speech Florian Guillermet, Executive Director of SESAR JU, showed the expected growth of air transport, the need for improved air traffic management and key challenges to be tackled in the future with the SESAR 2020 programme.
Finally the EREA best paper award 2015 was handed over to the winner by Josef Kaspar and the keynote speakers. The event finished with the traditional standing dinner and networking.
