The Galician Aeronautical Consortium (CAG) held the IV Edition of the International Aeronautical and Space Congress (CIAG) in Vigo.
The CIAG, which took place in a hybrid form, with a face-to-face event exclusively for 60 entrepreneurs at the Mar de Vigo and a live streaming for hundreds of connected people, is supported and sponsored by the Xunta de Galicia through the Civil UAVs Initiative”.Inthis edition presented the Observatory of the Aerospace Industry of Galicia that is an initiative being developed within the framework of the Civil UAVs Initiative, promoted by the Xunta de Galicia a through the First Vice-presidency and the Regional Ministry of Economy, Employment and Innovation”
Institutional opnening
Enrique Mallón, President of the Galician Aeronautical Consortium, highlighted in his opening speech that there are currently more than 40 companies in Galicia and more than 1,000 people working in the aeronautical industry, which is consolidating itself as an industry of the present and the future.
“The aeronautics and space industry is looking forward again after the impact of covid, where it has been one of the most affected industries. Despite of this, aeronautics in Galicia has made an enormous effort to preserve talent, so much so that the drop in employment has been limited, despite everything, to a residual 2%“.
Mallón insisted that this is a technologically advanced industry, and that it has the institutional support it deserves, so a new stage of recovery will now begin. “This Congress allows us to resume direct contact, renew illusions and take up projects that will mark the pulse and future of our industry in the coming years”,
Abel Caballero, Mayor of Vigo, emphasised at the opening of the Congress that “industry is the nerve centre of the economy: “At this congress you are the leaders of an industry that will continue to transform humanity and make mobility an element of connection and the common march of the planet. Modernity is called aeronautics.”.
Caballero also stressed that “air mobility is essential and will continue to be so. Technologies, manned and piloted aircraft and commitment to the environment are going to shape the future, which is mapped out at meetings such as this one and at fairs such as Mindtech, which I am pleased to see taking place in our city of Vigo”.
Speeches by industry leaders
Isabel del Pozo, Head of Recovery Funds at Airbus, said: “To achieve sustainable mobility we need to invest in new technologies, engines and standards that enable electrification. The big challenge is to ensure that the airspace will be ready to integrate these new vehicles and their operations. In Spain we have impressive capacities, we can offer maritime, mountain, semi-desert, urban and rural centres use cases… But we need to harmonise on a national strategy for the new air mobility, clear roadmaps on what industry we want to develop, because we have the opportunity of the next generation funds, which is an oxygen pocket for the industry.”.
Matheu Parr, Customer Business Director at Rolls Royce, explained from London that the challenge of electrification requires long-term development: “Battery electrification is currently paving the way for short-haul applications. In a few years’ time, turbogenerators will be needed to cover a greater range and with greater technological maturity, and from 2030 onwards we will be in the development of hydrogen-powered aircraft, for example for business trips with a small number of passengers.
Patricia Argerey, Director of GAIN, presented the potential of the Galician industry in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles through the Civil UAVs Initiative, which has already mobilised 264 million euros, 50 projects and 900 professionals. He also explained the collaboration agreement recently signed with the Galician Aeronautical Consortium for the creation of an Aeronautical Industry Observatory of Galicia, which was later mentioned by the Second Vice-President of the Xunta de Galicia during his closing speech.
“In the future, the market potential is immense, it is a niche that foresees an annual turnover of 10 billion euros by 2025”. Argerey highlighted “the public procurement initiative that the Xunta has opened in the framework of the Civil UAVs, to respond to the necessary technology from the public-private partnership, with the aim of concentrating efforts on strategic projects such as this”.
María Dolores Vázquez, Manufacturing Technology Specialist of Boeing, explained that the aviation industry has tripled its passenger traffic in the last 30 years, yet has managed to keep its emissions stable: “This shows that we are able to continue to make progress in efficiency and respect for the environment. To this end, Boeing will focus on programmes to offset CO2 emissions, sustainable fuels, changes in the way flights are operated and changes in propulsion. This is the essential path to decarbonisation by 2050.
Walter Da Costa, Tecnam’s international sales manager, emphasised the strength of the Galician industry, with which the Italian company, a manufacturer of components and light ships, has a close relationship: “For us it is a pleasure to be involved in the Targus project with Indra here in Galicia, with which we have already successfully tested our optionally manned aircraft”.
Manuel Rodríguez Cerezo, Director of the FCAS Programme at Indra, explained that this “ambitious initiative will contribute to the structuring of the defence industry in Spain and will boost dual technologies that will transform the sector and its positioning in Europe. It is a technology-driven project.”
The FCAS programme, driven by France, Spain and Germany, will not only produce a new fighter aircraft, but also many other developments such as a new propulsion system, remote operators through artificial intelligence; the so-called combat cloud (with its consequent connectivity and cybersecurity), or advanced sensors.
Antonio Velázquez, Director of the Querétaro Aerocluster, detailed the opportunities that exist to deepen collaboration with Mexico, which has 368 industrial facilities, more than 60,000 jobs and is the 6th largest exporter to the US.
Closing
The Congress was closed by Francisco Conde, Economic Vice-president of the Xunta de Galicia, who declared: “We have theambition to recover the pulse of the aeronautics and space sector, with the conviction of Galicia’s installed capacity at industrial and technological level.and that CAG is a perfect showcase for this; and on the other hand, the know-how of our companies and public-private collaboration. This is what we are doing from the Aerospace Pole, which is positioning Galicia as a benchmark in unmanned aviation”.
In the framework of the new tender opened by the Xunta, Conde stressed that they have received 10 applications to form the tractor partners that in 2025 will work on the development of the projects of the Aerospace Pole of Galicia, with special emphasis on incorporating SMEs to their value chains in order to generate a digital footprint of depth.
