A European Trans-national Research Cooperation in Aeronautics

The European Commission launched within the the Sixth Framework Programme the European Research Area Networks (ERA-NETs) initiative, which aims to coordinate the cooperation of national and regional research activities of EU Member States. One of these ERA-NETs is the ERA-NET AirTN, the ERA-NET for Aeronautics and Air Transport.

The ERA-NET AirTN project started in January 2006. The objective of the ERA-NET scheme is to step up the cooperation and coordination of research activities carried out at a national or regional level in the AirTN Member States and Associated States through

1. the networking of research activities conducted at national or regional level and
2. the mutual opening of national and regional research programmes.

The ERA-NET scheme will contribute to realising the European Research Area by improving the coherence and coordination of national research programmes in Europe. The scheme also enables national systems to take on tasks collectively that would not have been tackled independently.

The ERA-NET Project Air Transport Net (AirTN) covers Aeronautical Research and Air Traffic Management issues and thus the whole Air Transport System. All partners have a common strategic interest in these fields. They are public bodies, for example ministries and programme agencies, who manage nationally funded aeronautical research programmes.

The Partners

The partners are

• Austria
  BMVIT - Austrian Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology
  FFG - Austrian Research Promotion Agency
• Belgium
  BELSPO - Belgian Federal Science Policy Office Aeronautics
• Czech Republic
  MSMT - Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
  VZLU - Aeronautical Research and Test Institute
• France
  MEEDDAT/DGAC/DTA - Ministry for Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Land Use
  ONERA - The French Aerospace Lab
• Germany
  BMWI - Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology
  DLR/PT-LF Programme Management Office Aeronautics Research & Technology
• Greece
  GSR - Ministry of Development/ General Secretariat for Research and Technology
• Hungary
  NORT - National Office for Research and Technology
• Ireland
  EI - Enterprise Ireland
• Italy
  MIUR - Ministry of Education, University and Research
  CIRA - The Italian Aerospace Research Centre
• Poland
  NCBiR - National Centre for Research and Development
• Portugal
  FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology
• Romania
  ROSA - Romanian Space Agency
• Slovakia
  MDPaT - Ministry of Transport and Communications of Slovak Republic
  UNI ZILINA - University of Zilina
• Spain
  CDTI - Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology
• Sweden
  VINNOVA - Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems
• Switzerland
  SER - Secretariat for Education and Research
  CTI - Innovation Promotion Agency
• The Netherlands
  EZ - Ministry of Economic Affairs
  NIVR - Netherlands Agency for Aerospace Programmes
  NLR - National Aerospace Laboratory
• The United Kingdom
  BERR - Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform
  TSB - Technology Strategy Board

The Objectives

The AirTN overall Objectives are:

1. to step up the cooperation and coordination of research activities in aeronautics carried out at a national level through the networking of research activities at EU level;
2. to provide an effective platform to support the ACARE initiative and the development and implementation of the Strategic Research Agenda;
3. to support EU and EUROCONTROL activities for implementation of a Single European Sky for a seamless Air Traffic Management all over Europe;
4. to initiate joint actions.

• AIR TN Website ~
  http://www.airtn.eu/