2024 European Civil Aeronautics Summit | What's Next for European Civil Aviation Research?

This panel from the 2024 European Civil Aeronautics Summit brought together some of Europe’s leading voices in aviation to discuss the future of civil aviation research. Featuring Rosalinde van der Vlies (DG RTD), Eric Dalbies (Safran), Gary Way (Rolls-Royce), José Vicente de los Mozos (Indra Sistemas), Axel Krein (Clean Aviation), and Andreas Boschen (SESAR-JU), the discussion explored groundbreaking innovations, sustainability goals, and the challenges of transforming Europe’s skies.

Key topics included:
✈️ Decarbonisation & innovation: the EU’s commitment to climate neutrality and prioritising disruptive technologies.
🔬 Partnerships for impact: Public–private partnerships driving research and industry collaboration.
🌐 Digitalisation: SESAR-JU’s vision for a digital, efficient, and sustainable European sky.
⚡ Hydrogen & SAF: Clean Aviation’s exploration of future fuels and certification readiness.
🚀 Implementation challenges: ensuring market-ready, revolutionary technologies and addressing supply chain issues.

The panel highlighted the need for trustful cooperation across EU Member States, industry, and research organisations to maintain Europe’s leadership in civil aviation.