The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Scientific Committee (SciCom), active since 2022, provides advice to the EASA Executive Director on scientific issues that may influence the future development of the EASA expertise in scientific and technical domains linked to research, innovation, and disruptive technologies. Furthermore, the group advises EASA as regards processes in aviation that may impact Aviation Safety, Environmental Protection, Security, and Aviation Health Safety.
Advice from the SciCom helps EASA to strategically adapt its competence to accompany societal, environmental, and technological transformations.
The Committee may additionally provide its expertise for the preparation of EASA webinars on innovative/disruptive technologies and other events linked to innovative/disruptive concepts.
Members of the SciCom
The SciCom Members are appointed by the EASA Executive Director based on the list of Independent External Experts maintained by EASA as a result of EU Call(s) for Expression of Interest.
The SciCom’s competence covers the following:
- high-profile academic and/or industrial expertise;
- range of views and competences within the scientific community (i.e. coverage of the most relevant scientific fields linked to the needs of the EASA activities); and
- experience in a range of relevant research and innovation activities with publications and/or public appearances, or PhD schemes.
EASA has currently appointed the following chairman and members for the Committee for a three-year term in their personal capacity:
Prof. Dr. Peter Hecker,
Chairman of SciCom
Dr. Nicholas Asher
Prof. Frances Brazier
Prof. Marianna Jacyna
Prof. Martin Kaltschmitt
Prof. Christiane Schmidt
Prof. Nicole Viola
Affiliate Professor at Concordia University, Montreal
Prof. Marco Lovera
Dr. Torben Hovald
Prof. Silas Michaelides
Work Programme, Task Forces, and Reporting
The SciCom Chairperson coordinates the yearly Work Programme and activities with the EASA Chief Engineer. The Work Programme is being implemented by the respective Task Forces:
- Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Automation:
- support the development of an AI Ethics Survey for the general public;
- testing of the published Level 2 human factors guidance;
- support the development of design principles for Level 3 AI ('advanced automation') in preparation of the EASA AI Concept Paper Issue 3.
- Impact of Climate Change on Aviation:
- review the research works on the trends regarding jet streams;
- changes to atmospheric conditions at low altitude;
- trends regarding dust storms and sandstorms; and
- trends regarding coastal flooding.
- Networking Platform with Academia:
- develop relations with academia to facilitate identification of key civil aviation research themes;
- help anticipate future competences and skills needed by EASA to fulfill its legal mandate under Article 86 of the Basic Regulation; and
- support, through the Network, the organisation of conferences and webinars to facilitate knowledge-sharing and networking.
Task Forces
The SciCom is organised in Task Forces, which include EASA experts and possibly other experts. The following three Task Forces are active in 2024:
- Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and Automation;
- Task Force on Impact of Climate Change on Aviation and Extreme Weather; and
- Task Force on Academia Networking.
Reporting
A collective report on the SciCom inputs and advice is published on an annual basis (see the Downloads Section).