Approaches improving the coordination of aviation funding programs will be addressed within AREANA WP1: “R&I Aviation programs synergies”, by coordinating and supporting synergies between European, National and Regional R&I aviation programs. AREANA WP1 aims to facilitate joint calls or other co-funding mechanisms that align EU, National and Regional activities in specific fields and accelerate the update and sharing of aviation technology infrastructures in the European Research Area. It will focus on supporting research and innovation in aviation with a focus on sustainable and environmentally friendly technologies and will promote the objectives defined by the SRIA.
Different methods for joint transnational research calls are proposed and prepared. The idea is to widen the acceptance of joint calls, by offering tailor-made solutions which may be attractive to different groups of funding bodies. Firstly, the current research funding and infrastructure landscape is mapped and analyzed. Representatives from many European nations are involved in AREANA WP1, ensuring a direct link to the stakeholders. In addition, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Ukraine also actively participate in this Work Package. The not represented European and associated nations are considered explicitly as well. Secondly, the stakeholders are brought together enabling an exchange on strategy and the formation of the showcase groups. Strong interest, in these showcases, by parties participating in this project proposal has already been expressed. Thirdly, methods designing and practically executing joint calls are developed. Fourthly, the path to implementing these showcases is mapped out.
The AREANA “R&I Aviation programs synergies” team, will be in close contact with significant research associations, such as ACARE and EREA including its Technology and Research Infrastructure Group (TRIG), as well as with the ongoing CAJU project ECARE, which deals with funding synergies for clean aviation. It will also build on previous CSAs, like RINGO, and explore, report about, synchronize and facilitate processes for better access and share of technology and research infrastructures for aviation including considering best practices and possible synergies in the realm of other initiatives, such as:
- European Research Area (ERA) Action 12: Accelerate the green/digital transition of Europe’s key industrial ecosystems, in particular a potential pilot initiative in Aviation Research and Technology Infrastructures.
- Horizon Europe Research Infrastructures.
- Joint Research Centre’s research and technology infrastructures studies and initiatives, including synergies with Regional and EU NextGen/National Resilience and Recovery Funds.
- EU Action Plan on Synergies between civil, space and defense industries.