Aviation Leaders Convened for the EUROCAE Symposium, Marking a Return to its Birthplace in Lucerne

EUROCAE held its 2024 Symposium on 24 and 25 April in Lucerne, Switzerland, at the prestigious KKL (Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Luzern). This significant event drew the participation of 200 esteemed professionals, including specialised experts and industry leaders from across Europe and around the globe.

Reflecting on the Symposium's objectives, Anna von Groote, Director General at EUROCAE, remarked, "Our goal was to obtain insights, strategies, and visions from a broad spectrum of aviation stakeholders, uniting experts and representatives from European and international institutions, as well as various industry sectors. The robust discussions and conclusions reached will inform EUROCAE's strategic direction, guiding our efforts to support aviation advancements and achieve overarching objectives".

SUMMARY OF THE SESSIONS

Towards Future Connectivity:

Standardisation, regulatory and industry experts concluded that the ‘Future Connectivity for Aviation’ White paper prepared by EASA, FAA, Airbus, and Boeing serves as an excellent starting point for envisioning future connectivity. Standards play a crucial role as enablers – transitioning from current to future connectivity solutions requires their support. EUROCAE, together with its partners, stands prepared to assist with any standardisation efforts that the community deems necessary.

Aviation Security: Global Threats and Mitigation Strategies:

Panelists engaged in a comprehensive discussion covering a wide array of global threats, including cybersecurity, jamming, spoofing, radio frequency interference, and counter UAS. While global threats continue to evolve, the aviation sector is actively developing mitigation strategies to uphold safety standards. Minimum Operational Performance Standards emerge as pivotal in counteracting these threats.

The Impact of New Airports Developments:

Panelists examined the challenges associated with the development and management of mega-airports, and their significance on a global scale. Additionally, they underscored the importance of local and regional airports to their respective communities, highlighting their critical role within the aviation ecosystem. The discussion also emphasised the economic significance of airports, which often extends to entire countries. Managing not only the environmental impact, but also community perspectives on airport operations emerged as a focal point.

Public Acceptance of Innovative Aerial Services:

Experts developed a deep analysis of the current situation of the societal acceptance of Innovative Aerial Mobility. Questions and answers were issued to explain several perspectives from different parts of the industry, as well as the relationship with civil society representatives to work together to shape the future of aerial transport.

Vertiports, Drone Integration, and Counter-UAS Strategies in Airport Environments:

Panelists discussed current implementations and future challenges, with the different points of view from experts in these topics and the regulatory perspective from EASA. From vertiports applications to UAS and counter-UAS implementations, the future of aviation is evolving step by step to support the integration of these new technologies and concepts of operation.

Explore the Future's Technological Frontier to Aviation:

Aviation experts engaged in a dynamic exchange exploring the latest advancements in research and the rapid adoption of technology within the industry. From exploring the potential of emerging technologies such as Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Single Pilot Operations to the revolutionary capabilities of Quantum Computing, the panel offered a vivid glimpse into the future of aviation. The discussion emphasised the importance of a balanced approach to innovation, one that integrates cutting-edge technology with the inherent abilities and limitations of human operators.

In addition, the EUROCAE Symposium featured Flash-Talks on:

• Coexistence between mobile networks and aviation
• Use of drones for linear inspection
• Ground equipment certification
• The future of mobility at Paris Olympics 2024
• Market uptake and R&I Challenges for zero emission aviation
• Cultivating top talent in aviation

“EUROCAE will meticulously evaluate the conclusions drawn and collaborate with our Council and Technical Advisory Committee to align EUROCAE’s strategy and identify potential standardisation activities stemming from these discussions”, concluded Guillaume Roger, EUROCAE President.

The companies and organisations that contributed to the Symposium programme were: ADB Safegate, ACI, Airbus, Amazon Prime Air, Boeing, CANSO, Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, EASA, EGIS, ERAC, European Commission, European Defence Agency, EUROCONTROL, EUSPA, FAA, Federal Office of Civil Aviation, Frequentis, Groupe ADP, Honeywell, INTEL, INDRA, International Aviation Women’s Association, Kookiejar, NLR, RTCA, SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking, Skyguide, Skyports, Thales, UIC2, Volocopter, Wing, and Zurich University of Applied Sciences. 

Symposium Highlights: Appointment of New Council Members, Recognition of Award Winners, and Announcement of Madrid 2025

The EUROCAE General Assembly was held on 24 April, during the Symposium. Member representatives joined the meeting and endorsed the activity report and strategy for the following year, as well as electing the new Council members.

The newly elected Council met on 25 April and elected Guillaume Roger as President, Bruno Ayral and Michael Holzbauer as Vice-Presidents and Benoît Gadefait as Treasurer of the organisation.

In addition, the event offered a great opportunity to recognise the participation of experts who received the EUROCAE Awards for their valuable contributions to standardisation activities in support of aviation.

The 2024 EUROCAE Award Winners were:

•     WG Leadership Award: Roy Posern
•     Global Harmonisation Award: Mikael Mabilleau  
•     Women in EUROCAE Award: Laure Baltzinger  
•     Best Contribution Award: Konstantin Dmitriev  
•     International Award: Hiroaki Nakata
•     Lifetime Achievement Award: Luc Deneufchâtel  
•     President Award: Patrick Souchu

Looking ahead, EUROCAE revealed plans for its 2025 Symposium, slated to take place in Madrid on 23-24 April 2025, setting the stage for yet another impactful gathering of aviation leaders.

EUROCAE extends its heartfelt gratitude to all sponsors and partners whose support was instrumental in making the symposium a resounding success.