CORDIS

For three decades the European Aeronautics Days (Aerodays) have been the leading event in aviation research and innovation, mirroring the priorities and strategies set within the European Union Research Framework Programmes. The 8th edition of Aerodays supported and co-funded by the European Commission, builds on the achievements of Horizon 2020, the biggest EU research and innovation programme to date, and it is based on a new approach with two integrated events organized in Romania, in 2019, and Germany, in 2020, while Bucharest is the first Aerodays host in Central and Eastern Europe. Coordinated under a synergic concept, TandemAEROdays19.20 these two events will provide a solid platform to share and review the latest developments in aeronautics and air transport across the European Union, further strengthening its leadership on a highly competitive and strategic international market. With the objective to reinforce the academic, research and industrial network from all EU Member States, TandemAEROdays19.20 will tap on the diverse expertise and tradition of each participant, broadening the access to all interested parties, from big industry, policy makers, research, academia, innovative start-ups and resourceful small and medium-sized enterprises to students focused on aeronautical engineering and researchers involved in projects that will shape the future of aviation and space exploration.
The main objectives for the Bucharest event were to:
- Pay specific attention to a broad and balanced participation of students, young researchers, with respect to gender equality, large number of (EU13) Member States representatives: AEROdays 2019 attracted women in proportion of 30% (248 female registrations out of a total of 857 registered participants); a total number of 431 (50% of total) EU 13 participants; students with reduced fee
- Acknowledge current development process in the aeronautical industry in Eastern Europe: broad participation in sessions (plenary, technical) and in exposition.
- Promote regional policies for research and education in aeronautics: participation of research and academia in the region
- Facilitate the participation of Eastern European countries (EU13) to high-level events: the location gave the opportunity to the Romanian aeronautical players to participate in high number and facilitated the participation of other EU 13 countries, with low participation to the previous AEROdays events, all organized in Western Europe.
- Provide excellent opportunity towards regional synergies

Organized by INCAS and UEFISCDI (Romania) together with DLR and BDLI, supported and co-funded by the EC, the 8th edition of Aerodays is energized by the innovative concept TandemAEROdays19.20 that joins two integrated events hosted by Romania and Germany, enabling a distinct and comprehensive approach to all the relevant aspects related to aviation and air transport.
As the first of these joint events, Bucharest Aerodays 2019 mobilized under the headline “Europe’s Technological Achievements for a Sustainable Future of Aviation” leading academic, research and industrial representatives from the European and international aeronautic community for three days of specialized plenary and technical sessions hosted by the Romanian Palace of Parliament. They were joined by prominent governmental leaders who provided the appropriate political and administrative perspective for the developments showcased within this event. While the Romanian Minister of Energy, Anton Anton, and the Minister of Research and Innovation, Nicolae Hurduc, supported the need for radical innovation and highlighted Romania’s commitment to become a regional educational hub with high impact not only in the aviation sector, but also in other emerging areas, Mrs. Clara de la Torre, the Director for Transport in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (at the time of the AEROdays 2019), emphasized Europe’s role as a responsible global leader and acknowledged aviation as a game changer for humanity, asking for disruptive solutions brought faster to the market, supported by ambitious goals and backed by the European Union’s future research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe.
The topics introduced within the opening session of Bucharest AEROdays 2019 were further detailed in the plenary and parallel sessions of the event, covering vital issues for the recent developments in aeronautics and their potential effect in the future. With keynote speakers representing major global players in the world of aeronautics, from NASA to large multinational companies like Airbus to entities that fuel the European research effort like the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking, the plenary sessions focused on distinct and challenging subjects: Meeting European Citizens’ mobility needs: the air transport system for the 21st century; Industrial competitiveness; Education, work force and research infrastructures; Addressing aviation’s environmental and climate impact; Fostering international cooperation; Ensuring safety and security; Disruptive “game changers”.
Equally insightful, but centered on specific achievements, projects and developments, the parallel sessions of Bucharest Aerodays 2019 targeted aspects related to innovation (in aerodynamic and propulsion technologies, manufacturing, integrated aircraft design, air traffic services and airport operations), emphasized various opportunities (in digitalization, big data-driven applications, electrification, sustainable alternative fuels and energy carriers), and revealed new approaches in operational safety and security, solutions that address the certification challenges for integrated products, and growing trends in cyber-security and urban air mobility.

"The 8th edition of the AEROdays, brought an innovative concept and approach with two events organized within one year distance, in 2019 for the first time in a capital in Eastern Europe, Bucharest, offering the opportunity of participation to such a prestigious event to companies and professionals from this part of Europe. The second event, #AeroDays2020 will take place in Berlin and will be formed of two events - the Berlin Aviation Summit and the ILA Future Lab FORUM. Both take place during ILA Berlin 2020, the leading international aerospace exhibition of innovations in Europe with more than 150,000 expected trade and public visitors. Just one day prior to the ILA Berlin, the exclusive high-level part of the #AeroDays2020 will start with the Berlin Aviation Summit, which offers key players of politics and science, the industry, the financial sector and the global air traffic a platform to align technology road maps, investment strategies and policies. The Berlin Aviation Summit is themed Aviation for Future - Change is Now! ILA Future Lab FORUM will focus on how the political priorities of the EU will be implemented in aviation in the future - above all the New Green Deal: political keynote speeches, panel sessions moderated by senior officials from various directorates of the EU Commission involving the world's top aerospace leaders and experts on aerospace innovation.
The integration of the European Aeronautics Days (#AeroDays2020) into the existing format of the ILA Berlin 2020 serves to strengthen the guiding principles of ILA Berlin."