MOTIVATION
Investments in aviation research infrastructures and the associated costs of maintenance are reaching levels that soon may become not easy to cover by individual organisation and countries. A harmonised approach to maintaining, operating and investing in key aviation research infrastructures is thus necessary.
GOALS
RINGO is a Coordination and Support Action providing a cohesive and coordinated approach for the identification and assessment of the aviation research infrastructures needed in Europe. It aims at:
- Identifying needs for aviation research infrastructures according to FlightPath 2050 goals and challenges at European level.
- Building a catalogue of existing aviation research infrastructures in Europe.
- Identifying gaps (needed aviation research infrastructures currently not existing) and overlaps among existing aviation research infrastructures by matching the identified needs with the catalogue.
- Proposing sustainable and innovative operating business models for large aviation research infrastructure.
METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH
RINGO involves an advisory group of experts from key stakeholders in the European aviation community.
Workshops, interviews and surveys involving the advisory group are organised to assess and investigate relevant FlightPath 2050 topics within the RINGO study.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
September 2018 – Research Infrastructures Landscape
Catalogue of aviation research infrastructures available in research establishments, universities and industrial sites in Europe.
November 2019 – Report on needs for future Research Infrastructures, gaps and overlaps
Report on aviation research infrastructures needed to reach Flighpath 2050 goals, including overlaps among existing aviation research infrastructures and gaps of infrastructures not yet available.
January 2020 – Report on funding resources
Report on sustainable funding plans for maintaining, operating and investing in key aviation research infrastructures in Europe.
February 2020 – Report on successful business models
Report on different applicable business models and strategies for sustainable operation of key aviation research infrastructures.
WORKPLAN
RINGO is organised in 7 work packages. Each work package is structured in such a way as to facilitate the interaction with ACARE and with other relevant stakeholders.
WP1 Assessment methodology (March 2017 – February 2018)
WP1 develops the assessment methodology to be applied in the project, focusing on four main activities:
- Review of existing data and methodologies
- Analysis of Flightpath 2050 goals and of their relevance on research infrastructures needs
- Identification of stakeholders and subject matter experts to support the analysis of research infrastructures needs
- Definition of requirements and assessment methodology for investigations in WP2, WP3 and WP4
WP2 Research Infrastructures Needs identification (September 2017 – April 2019)
The main objective of this WP is an unbiased and realistic identification of the research infrastructures needed to achieve the Flight Path 2050 goals related to challenge 5. WP2 builds up the knowledge on research infrastructure needs thanks to a series of different investigations, involving selected subject matter experts through workshops, surveys, interviews. Approximately 18 workshops are foreseen, supplemented with up to 20 interviews or questionnaire-based activities. The work is structured in four main activities:
- Preparation of a structure for Research Infrastructure Needs (RIN) identification activities
- Identification and preparation of the needed activities (in particular workshops, queries, interviews)
- Performing RIN identification activities
- Providing outcome for the synthesis step in WP4
WP3 Research Infrastructures Landscape (March 2017 – September 2018)
WP3 provides the current status of research infrastructures landscape in Europe, from research establishments to universities and industrial sites. This inventory serves as input for the organisation of workshops and investigations, to be led in WP2, and for matching of research infrastructure needs and identified infrastructure capabilities, to be done in WP4. WP6 will take the catalogue as a database for dissemination purpose. The work is structured into two tasks:
- Implementation of the assessment methodology to be used to gather all the inventory RI catalogues including those developed by the Air Transport Net (AirTN) project and the EASN network
- Analysis of the European RI landscape in order to capture also research infrastructures that are not contained in any existing catalogue yet
WP4 Synthesis and Matching (July 2017 – October 2020)
This WP allows for the central deliverable of RINGO, namely the matching of research infrastructure needs with features of existing research infrastructure, in order to describe existing gaps and overlaps.
WP4 performs synthesis and matching of results coming from WP2 and WP3. During the “synthesis”, all information coming from WP2 and WP3 will be consolidated and stored in an appropriate data repository. During the “matching”, a comparison of the outcomes from WP2 and WP3, provided via the above named data repository, will be executed. While comparing research infrastructures coming from WP2 and WP3, the results/findings are expected to be either:
- “Identity” when available research infrastructures of today will meet demands of the future, too, and therefore should be maintained in the future
- “Difference” when the analysis reveals an infrastructure that is not expected to be necessary in order to fulfil Flightpath 2050 goals (in case it is solely in the list coming from WP3) or a gap (in case it is solely in the list coming from WP2)
- “Similarity” when a modification or upgrade of already available research infrastructures could provide a short-cut to infrastructures needed in order to achieve Flightpath 2050 goals
In case the quantity or scope of particular infrastructures currently available will exceed the quantity or scope considered necessary for the future (during WP2 RIN activity), it will be indicated that currently there are “overlaps” with respect to fulfilment of Flightpath.
WP5 Operational Models for Infrastructures (March 2018 – January 2020)
This WP analyses potential relevant business models and governance models for the operation of research infrastructures in Europe, as well as funding schemes to maintain existing or to develop new aviation research infrastructures. A comprehensive set of options, also including unconventional solutions, will be provided. The work is structured in three main activities:
- Assessment of RI operational models, including funding schemes, based on current best practice experience
- Identification of suitable funding schemes for future development of new RI and sustained operation of existing RI (input from WP4)
- Establishment of sustainable business models for the operation of RI in Europe
WP6 Networking and Dissemination (March 2017 – February 2020)
As the results from RINGO are relevant for a large community in general, not strictly limited to the aviation community, the dissemination and exploitation activities receive special attention. WP6 deals with networking and dissemination activities throughout the whole project. The work is structured in five main activities:
- Plan of exploitation, communication and dissemination strategies within and beyond the project lifecycle
- Knowledge and data management and protection
- Website design, development and maintenance
- Organisation of communication and dissemination activities according to the strategic directions provided in the Plan for Exploitation and Dissemination of Results
- Plan and organisation of exploitation activities
WP7 Project Management (March 2017 – February 2020)
The project management activities are included in WP7. This WP ensures administrative management and coordination of the project.
It also ensures an adequate communication between the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) and the consortium, within the project consortium, with the Advisory Group and with other stakeholders.