The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) laid out key funding, policy, and other strategies in a white paper on Accelerating Development of the Electric Aviation Sector in Europe. Released this week during Aero Friedrichshafen in Germany, the white paper provides a range of recommendations for European regulators and policymakers to foster the emergence of electric aviation.
The recommendations surrounded four major areas that the association believes are essential to support the nascent sector: bolster public funding; strengthen supply chains across Europe; establish appropriate policy; and properly fund and support EASA.
GAMA sees the development of electric aviation as a critical component of the general aviation industry's and Europe’s drive for a more sustainable future.
“General aviation is at the forefront of developing and introducing innovative technologies that will transform the entire aviation industry,” said GAMA v-p of European affairs Kyle Martin. “We look forward to furthering our ongoing work with the European Commission and EASA so that they have a fuller understanding of the vital role that they will play in advancing this sector, which is the incubator for safety, sustainability, and innovation.”
In the funding realm, GAMA is supporting broadening the scope and accessibility of existing programs to support R&D and manufacturing, such as revising the European Investment Bank transport lending policy to include low-carbon aviation technologies.
In addition, GAMA encouraged the development of synergies in the supply chain and existing programs such as battery technologies for the road and aeronautic sectors and raw material infrastructure. GAMA further called for policy that supports the development of robust electric infrastructure and grid capacity and for proper resources for EASA so the agency can carry out certification and rulemaking projects that pave the way for bringing the products to market.