EU-wide Advantages and Opportunities for "Next Generation Testing Capabilities in Strategic EU Wind Tunnels" (HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-08)

1. Single Market Access (450 + million consumers)

• Gives project partners direct entry to the entire EU aerospace supply chain—OEMs, Tier-1s, SMEs and emerging hydrogen-aviation start-ups—without national trade barriers.

• Enables pan-EU commercialisation of new test services (e.g. hybrid-electric propulsion aero-acoustic campaigns) under one EASA regulatory umbrella, lowering certification costs and time-to-market.

• Facilitates deployment of shared digital wind-tunnel platforms across multiple Member States, allowing customers to book test slots EU-wide through a single interface.

2. Cross-Border Collaboration & Knowledge Exchange

• Links Europe’s flagship wind-tunnel operators (DNW-LLF NL/DE, ETW DE, ONERA FR, INCAS RO, NRC CA as Associated Country) with universities and Clean Aviation demo teams, creating a critical mass of expertise unattainable at national level.

• Promotes staff mobility and joint PhD programmes through Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and ERA Fellowships, sustaining a pan-European talent pipeline in aero-elasticity, LH2 cryogenic testing and AI-driven flow diagnostics.

• Encourages alignment of national R&I agendas (e.g. Germany’s LuFo, France’s CORAC, Spain’s CDTI programmes) with EU priorities, minimising duplication of infrastructure upgrades.

3. EU Policy Alignment

• Directly supports the European Green Deal, Fit-for-55 package and the Sustainable & Smart Mobility Strategy by accelerating low-emission aircraft validation.

• Complements Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking SRIA targets (hybrid-electric regional, ultra-efficient short-medium range, hydrogen-powered aircraft).

• Feeds data to the Digital Europe Programme’s common European mobility data space, underpinning AI-enabled design optimisation.

4. Regulatory Harmonisation Benefits

• Utilises unified EASA Part 21 framework for flightworthiness, ensuring that wind-tunnel data accepted in one Member State is recognised EU-wide.

• Enables development of EU-standardised data formats (aligned with ASD-STE100, STEP-TAS, ATA iSpec 2200) reducing re-testing and easing cross-border IP exchange.

• Supports implementation of the Open Science policy (Horizon Europe Article 17), fostering FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Re-usable) data across facilities.

5. Access to the EU Innovation Ecosystem

• Leverages EuroHPC super-computers (LUMI FI, Leonardo IT, MareNostrum5 ES) for high-fidelity CFD validation loops linked to wind-tunnel results.

• Connects with 200+ European Digital Innovation Hubs specialising in AI/ML, VR visualisation and additive manufacturing for rapid model production.

• Aligns with EIT Manufacturing & EIT InnoEnergy to exploit downstream commercialisation and skills programmes.

6. Funding Synergies & Blending Opportunities

• Horizon Europe lump-sum simplifies combination with:

· Clean Aviation and SESAR 3 calls (TRL 4-6 flight demonstrators)

· CEF Transport (hydrogen airport hubs, grid upgrades for electric propulsion ground tests)

· ERDF/Just Transition (regional infrastructure upgrades, workforce reskilling)

· InvestEU (de-risking large-scale tunnel digitisation projects)

• Unlocks cascade funding via Euroclusters to engage SMEs supplying sensors, fast-response pressure taps, cryogenic LH2 handling systems.

7. EU-Scale Impact & Deployment

• Creates a federated European Wind-Tunnel Network (EWTN) with interoperable instrumentation and booking systems, positioned as a global reference similar to ESA’s ESTEC for space.

• Achieves economies of scale—shared procurement of high-speed optical cameras, cryo-capable balances and HPC licences—reducing CAPEX per facility by up to 30 %.

• Enhances Europe’s strategic autonomy in critical aeronautical test capabilities vis-à-vis the US and China, supporting Open Strategic Autonomy objectives.

8. Actionable Opportunities for Applicants

• Develop an EU "Digital Twin" of wind-tunnel assets that streams data into the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC).

• Pilot a common data exchange backbone using GAIA-X standards to ensure sovereign, GDPR-compliant data sharing between facilities.

• Introduce a cross-facility Green KPI dashboard (energy usage, CO₂ footprint per test hour) aligning with the EU Taxonomy Regulation.

• Offer subsidised SME test vouchers funded via ERDF or national co-funding, stimulating uptake by innovative propeller, eVTOL and drone manufacturers.

• Integrate Eurocontrol noise-mapping tools for real-time aero-acoustic certification support, reducing lead-time to market entry.

9. Strategic Value Compared to National-Only Approaches

• Consolidated EU approach avoids fragmented upgrades and ensures critical mass of test hours for emerging LH2 aircraft—no single Member State can justify investments alone.

• Provides unified lobbying power in ICAO/CAEP standard-setting for novel propulsion noise limits, embedding European test data as the global benchmark.

• Strengthens Europe’s negotiating position in WTO and bilateral aviation safety agreements by demonstrating continent-wide compliance capabilities.

10. Long-Term Sustainability & Legacy

• Facilitates creation of a permanent European Wind-Tunnel Observatory under ESFRI Roadmap 2026, ensuring continued transnational access beyond project end.

• Positions upgraded facilities to attract future Horizon Europe Missions (e.g. Climate-Neutral Cities, Adaptation to Climate Change) that need aero-design input for urban air mobility and climate-resilient infrastructure.

In summary: Operating at EU scale multiplies the scientific, economic and strategic impact of wind-tunnel modernisation, delivering interoperable, climate-aligned test capabilities that no single Member State could achieve alone while opening Europe-wide commercial, regulatory and funding opportunities.