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European companies, many of them innovative new entrants to the market, are developing the next generation of disruptive aircraft technologies, notably zero-emissions and hybrid-powered aircraft (ZEHA). These innovations can get us closer to decarbonised flying and could help secure European aviation’s competitiveness and technological leadership for decades to come. Thanks to their higher efficiency, and their use of domestic European renewable electricity and green hydrogen, these planes are also a tool to secure our energy independence.
To make sure that these companies succeed and new ones emerge, the EU should integrate a comprehensive framework to support research and development (R&D), industrialisation and market creation for new, disruptive aircraft technologies into its upcoming Aviation Strategy. This should include targeted measures in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and relevant aviation legislation.
First, public support of aircraft R&D should focus on high-risk, high-reward novel propulsion technologies, and aircraft architectures which will bring larger efficiency gains than incremental improvements of legacy technologies from incumbent manufacturers. The EU should ringfence a part of R&D funds under the MFF’s 10th Framework Programme (FP10) for new entrants, whose business model rests on making new technologies reach the market. This should be complemented by stronger partnerships between these smaller innovative players and larger incumbent companies, to help scale new technologies effectively.
