CELEX: 51988PC0393
Language: en
Date: 1988-07-08
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION ADOPTING THE PILOT PHASE OF A PROGRAMME OF STRATEGIC RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE FIELD OF AERONAUTICS

13. 10. 88                               Official Journal of the European Communities                             No C 266/5
                                                                 II
                                                         (Preparatory Acts)
                                                   COMMISSION
              Proposal for a Council Decision adopting the pilot phase of a programme of strategic research
                                           and technology in the field of aeronautics
                                                    Pilot phase (1989 to 1990)
                                                 COM(88) 293 final — SYN 144
                                (Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 14 July 1988)
                                                           (88/C 266/05)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,                             national competitiveness of the European industry in the
                                                                     medium and long term and has concluded that there is
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European                an urgent need for action at Community level;
Economic Community and, in particular, Article 130 Q
(2) thereof,                                                         Whereas a Community programme meets the need to
                                                                     strengthen and broaden the research and technology
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,                   base of the European aeronautical industry; whereas its
                                                                     beneficiaries must therefore be the undertakings, univer-
                                                                     sities and research centres in the Community which are
In cooperation with the European Parliament,
                                                                     best suited to attain these objectives;
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and
Social Committee,                                                    Whereas it is essential that actions taken in the field of
                                                                     aeronautical research and technology acquisition at
                                                                     national level and at Community level should be fully
Whereas Article .130 K of the EEC Treaty provides that               coherent;
the framework programme shall be implemented through
specific programmes developed within each activity;
                                                                     Whereas it is necessary to make an urgent start on a
Whereas the Council, by adopting the framework                       preparatory phase in order to develop new methods of
programme of Community research and technological                    collaboration and coordination of aeronautical research
development (1987 to 1991) (') acknowledges the interest             in the Community before a major programme of aero-
of an action on science and technology for the manufac-              nautical research and technology can be implemented;
turing industries in the field of modernization of
industrial sectors;                                                  Whereas the Scientific and Technical             Research
                                                                     Committee (Crest) has expressed its opinion,
Whereas promotion of European industrial competi-
tiveness is one of the major goals of the framework
programme;                                                           HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Whereas the European Parliament, in its assessment of
                                                                                              Article 1
the situation and development of the European aero-
nautical industry (2) stressed its role for the future               A specific programme of research and technological
political, social and economic development of the                    development in the field of aeronautics, as defined in the
Community and made particular reference to a series of               Technical Annex is hereby adopted for a period of two
actions to be promoted;                                              years, from 1 January 1989.
Whereas the Commission, together with the aeronautical
industry, has analysed the future needs for aeronautical                                      Article 2
research and technology in order to assure the inter-                The amount deemed necessary for the execution of the
                                                                     programme is 60 million ECU over 24 months, including
(') OJ No L 302, 24. 10. 1987, p. 1.                                 expenditure on staff whose costs shall not exceed 4,5 %
(2) Resolution of 15. 10. 1987, PV 33 II, PE 117.164.                of the Community's contribution.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 266/6                           Official Journal of the European Communities                                13. 10. 88
                        Article 3                               down according to the urgency of the matter. The
                                                                opinion shall be delivered by the majority laid down in
Rules for the implementation of the programme are set           Article 148 (2) of the Treaty in the case of decisions
out in the Technical Annex.                                     which the Council is required to adopt on a proposal
                                                                from the Commission. The votes of the representatives of
                        Article 4                               the Member States within the committee shall be
                                                                weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The
In the second year of the programme implementation,
                                                                chariman shall not vote.
the Commission shall undertake a review of the
programme and it shall report to the Council and to the
                                                                The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply
European Parliament on the results thereof.
                                                                immediately. However, if these measures are not in
                                                                accordance with the opinion of the committee, they shall
An evaluation of the results achieved shall be conducted
                                                                be communicated by the Commission to the Council
by the Commission, which shall report thereon to the
                                                                forthwith. In that event the Commission may defer
Council and the Parliament.
                                                                application of the measures which it has decided for a
The abovementioned reports shall be established having          period of not more than one month from the date of
regard to the objectives set out in the Annex to this           such communication.
Decision and in conformity with the provisions of Article
                                                                The Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a
2 (2) of the framework programme.
                                                                different decision within the time limit referred to in the
                                                                previous paragraph.
                        Article 5
The Commission shall be responsible for the execution                                    Article 8
of the programme and shall be assisted in its implemen-
                                                                The contracts entered into by the Commission shall
tation by a Committee, hereafter referred to as 'the
                                                                regulate the rights and obligations of each party,
Committee' composed of two representatives of each
                                                                including the methods of disseminating, protecting and
Member State and chaired by the representative of the
                                                                exploiting the results of the programme.
Commission.
Members of the Committee may be assisted by experts or                                   Article 9
advisors depending on the nature of the issue under
                                                                With regard to the activities provided for in Article 1,
consideration.
                                                                the Member States and the Community shall exchange
                                                                all appropriate information to which they have access
The proceedings of the Committee shall be confidential.
                                                                and which they are free to disclose concerning the areas
The Committee shall adopt its own rules of procedure.
                                                                covered by this Decision, whether or not planned or
The Secretariat shall be provided by the Commission.
                                                                carried out under their authority.
                        Article 6                               The information shall be exchanged in accordance with a
The procedure laid down in Article 7 shall apply to:            procedure to be defined by the Commission after
                                                                consulting the Committee and will be treated as
— The assessment of proposed projects and the                   confidential at the supplier's request.
    estimated amount of the Community's financial
    contribution,                                                                        Article 10
— the definition of appropriate procedures for the              Where framework agreements for scientific and technical
    exchange of information pursuant to Article 9,              cooperation between non-member European countries
— the participation in any project or action by organi-         and the European Communities have been concluded,
    zations and undertakings as provided for in Article         organisations and undertakings established in these
    10,                                                         countries may, under appropriate conditions, to be
                                                                defined by the Commission, become partners in a project
— the measures to be undertaken to evaluate the                 undertaken within this programme.
    programme.
                                                                No contractor established outside the Community who
                        Article 7                               particicpates as a partner in a project undertaken within
                                                                the programme shall be entitled to Community financing
Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be          intended for the programme.
followed, the representative of the Commission shall
submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be                                    Article 11
taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on the
draft within a time limit which the chairman may lay            This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
 ---pagebreak--- 13. 10. 88                                 Official J o u r n a l of the E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s              N o C 266/7
                                                             TECHNICAL          ANNEX
           DEFINING T H E PILOT PHASE O F A PROGRAMME O F STRATEGIC RESEARCH A N D T E C H -
                                           NOLOGY IN T H E FIELD O F AERONAUTICS
             I. APPROACH AND OBJECTIVES
                (a) Approach
                     As regards the programme as a whole, the means by which the above objectives will be achieved is
                     the establishment of a strategic programme of precompetitive aeronautical research and technology
                     acquisition, conducted at Community level, focussed upon key technology goals derived from
                     industrial analysis of future generic product goals and concerted to the maximum extent with other
                     national and international research and technology acquisition activities.
                     For the pilot phase the same basic methods are to be followed but they will be implemented at a
                     smaller scale of activity than that envisaged for the main programme. The work plan specified for
                     the pilot phase is chosen to provide valid research in this field* Thus the programme addresses a
                     number of important problems, ranging over most of the disciplinary fields of interest and compre-
                     hending a representative variety of types of activity. Within these broad criteria, the subject chosen
                     have been suggested by the industry and have been refined after extensive discussion by experts.
                     The scope of activity implied by reference to research and technology acquisition in this field
                     covers all types of action which are not related to design, manufacture or sale of specific products
                     and which are downstream of basic research.
                (b) Objectives
                     The essential objective of the overall programme is to respond to the severe technological
                     challenge which confronts the European aeronautical industry. T o achieve this vital aim, the
                     programme seeks to encourage and assist a qualitative leap in the scope and effectiveness of
                     cooperation at European level between the many and varied organisations (aircraft companies,
                     engine companies, equipment companies, national research centres, materials suppliers, research
                     institutes, universities, etc.) the work of which contributes to the European aeronautical technology
                     base.
                     The specific objectives of the pilot phase are:
                     — to create the essential impetus for the launching of a major and complex programme of actions,
                     — to carry out research work in a number of areas of technological advance which are of great
                         importance to the future capability of the aeronautical industry,
                     — to learn lessons regarding the management and operation of such a programme and to refine
                         the definition of the longer term actions which should be pursued,
                     — to provide concrete evidence upon which decisions regarding future action can be based.
            II. TECHNICAL C O N T E N T S
                The programme shall consist of the following tasks:
                Aerodynamics (including flight mechanics)
                Analysis and optimization of high speed aircraft configuration including aerothermodynamics heat load
                 estimates
                — Framework and integration
                — Optimization strategy and methods
                ^— Approximate methods (loads and coefficients)
                — Transport and thermodynamics phenomena and models
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 266/8                          Official J o u r n a l of the E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s 13. 10. 88
            — Numerical methods
            — Grid generation
            — Shock/vortex boundary layer interactions
            — Experimental techniques — measurements and data base
            — Low speed performance
            Laminar flow control
            — Wind tunnel calibration and utilization
            — Testing techniques and suction device development
            — Numerical flow field calculation
            — Surface quality and degradation
            — Flight test requirements
            — Technology of non-wing applications, fixed wing aircraft and helicopters
            — Final cost-benefit analysis
            Materials
            — Aluminum-lithium alloys
            — Metal matrix composites
            — Powder metallurgy
            — Test methods for the characterization and qualification of material
            — Organic composites for service-temperatures above 120 °C
            — Fibre-reinforced carbon and fibre-reinforced ceramics
            — Surface technologies
            — Adhesives
            — Composites with organic matrices for service-temperature up to 120 °C
                — Composites
                — Composite/metal kombinations
            Acoustics
            Aircraft noise source identification, prediction and reduction
            — Helicopters and tilt-rotors
                — Acoustic sources
                — Prediction codes
                — Transmission paths
                — Community and passenger noise impact
            — Advanced propellers and propfans
                — Near and far field noise prediction schemes
                — Validation of the prediction schemes by low speed and high speed wind-tunnel tests
                — Installation effects
            — Engine testbed for acoustic measurements
                — Specifications
                — Design and construction
               — Instrumentation
               — Calibration
 ---pagebreak--- 13. 10. 88                         Official Journal of the European Communities                              N o C 266/9
           Interior noise prediction and reduction
           — Prediction techniques
           — Active noise control
           — European aircraft interior noise test facility
           Exterior noise reduction by active control
           — Theoretical investigations
           — Development of anti-noise generators
           — Development of controlling logic for periodic and stochastic noise
           Acoustic fatique and related damage tolerance on advanced composites
           — Investigation of materials and construction methods
           — Static and dynamics test of coupons and components
           — Modal test programme
           — Acoustic fatigue tests
           — Theoretical analysis of damage tolerance and acoustic fatigue
           — Development of non destructive testing methods for new fibre composite materials and structures
           Computation
           — Requirements
           — General supercomputing
           — Mathematical/physical models and algorithms
           — Integration of engineering and design tools
           — Knowledge-based systems
           — Software environment
           — Basic tools
           — Communication
           — Software production environment
           Airbrorne systems and equipments
           Integration and operation of systems and equipment
           — Digital technology
               — Centralized/decentralized Computing
               — Data transmission
               — Sensors and actuators
               — Electrical power
           — Systems development and evaluation tools
           — Flight deck operational concepts and flight management systems
           — On board intelligent knowledge based systems (IKBS)
           All-electric aircraft
           — Ice protection
               — Ice physics
               — Advanced ice protection concepts
               — Electrical impulse de-icing (EIDI)
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 266/10                             Official Journal of the European Communities                                   13. 10. 88
                — Flight control actuation
                    — Electromechanical actuators (EMA)
                    — Electrohydraulics pumps (EHP)
                    — Electrohydrostatics actuators
                — Secondary power generation
                    — Electrical generation
                    — Replacement of engine-bleed air
                    — New high power electrical distribution system
                Propulsion
                — Definition of experimental parameters to be obtained for the difference operating conditions
                — Study and define configuration for the main phase testing
                — Assessment and selection of suitable wind tunnels, and type and sizes of models
                — Aerodynamic design of models
                — Specification and design of the wind tunnel models and their components
                — Specification of suitable drive motors
                — Definition of model propellers and engine nacelles preferably in cooperation with propeller and
                    engine manufacturers
                — Detailed definition and specification of the experimental programme, together with measuring
                    equipment data acquisition and analysis requirements
                — Acquisition and assembly of hardware.
                Design and manufacturing technology
                — Intelligent interfaces
                — Common data base
                — 3 D solid modelling
           III. IMPLEMENTATION
                The programme shall comprise pre-competitive research and technology projects, carried out by means
                of contracts to be concluded with companies, including small and medium-sized undertaking, research
                centres, universities resident in the Community. Pursuant to Article 10 of the Decision, the programme
                may also be open to similar entities resident in the countries concerned.
                Particular attention will be given to the coordination and the complementarity with activities carried
                out under the programmes of the Member States and of the Community.
                The programme shall include the organization of meetings and consultation of experts.
                The selection of projects is carried out by the Commission, assisted by the Committee, having regard
                to the objectives defined in this Annex.
                The projects shall, as a rule, be submitted in reply to an open invitation published in the Official
                Journal of the European Communities and involve the participation of at least two independent
                industrial partners not all established in the same Member State. Each contractor will be expected to
                bring a significant contribution to the project. Contractors shall be expected to bear a substantial
                proportion of the costs. The Community contribution shall normally be 50 % of the total expenditure.
                Alternatively, in respect of universities and research institutes carrying out projects or actions, the
                Community may bear up to 100 % of the additional expenditure involved.
 ---pagebreak--- 13. 10. 88                              Official Journal of the European Communities                                     N o C 266/11
           IV. EVALUATION CRITERIA
               The Commission's communication to the Council concerning a Community plan of action relating to
               the evaluation of Community research and development activities for the years 1987 to 1991
               (COM(86) 660 final) states that the objectives and milestones of each research programme have to be
               set out in a testable form, which are set out below:
               1. As the principal objective is to enhance the competitive position of the Community aeronautical
                  industries, the evaluation should determine:
                  — the extent to which the project was selected against industrial criteria,
                  — the value of the management structure set up the implementation of the pilot phase.
               2. A further objective is to encourage transfrontier collaboration in the strategic aeronautical industrial
                  research and technology, to reduce duplication of the efforts and provide better utilization of
                  facilities.
                  The implementation of the programme will offer the smaller Member States of the Community the
                  opportunity of contribute to participate in high advanced technological programmes and this is a
                  further powerful factor in promoting European unity.
                  The evaluation should determine:
                  — to what extent links were established between partners (aeronautical companies, SMEs univer-
                      sities and research centers),
                  — to what extent satisfactory procedures were established for management and exploitation of
                      intellectual property created by the programme.
               3. As a typical objective of a 'pilot programme' we can expect the following results:
                  — the provision of experience and relevant information,
                  — the successful preparation of the main programme.
                  The evaluation should assess these outputs.