Ensuring 2050 European aviation safety and security goals: are we doing the right research?

Abstract

According to EASA and other aviation safety organisations [1], air transport is acknowledged today as the safest global mode of transport; and certainly, as indicated in the report of IATA [2], the low accident rates registered in the past three decades bears this out. Evolution and growth of the industry in the next 30 years requires us to continue reducing the accident rate to satisfy the expected demand [1] , [2]. The European strategy for aviation Flightpath 2050 has identified 6 safety and security goals for the region by 2050: i) Ultra‐low accident rate in commercial flight; ii) Weather hazards and risk mitigation; iii) Integrating drones in manned airspace; iv) Comprehensive and unobtrusive security measures; v) Resilience to external and internal threats; and vi) High‐bandwidth data resilient to cyberattacks. This paper studies the progress made towards achievement of these 6 safety and security goals, and proposes measures for closing the gap that remains as well as those for avoiding limiting barriers.