In the first of a series of virtual summits held by Cranfield University, academics, industry leaders and Government have looked at the opportunities for the international aerospace industry in the post-Covid world.
For all the financial stresses of the Covid-19 pandemic on civil aviation, the crisis period is also a once-in-a-generation opportunity. While operations are stalled and broken up there is the space and momentum for fundamental changes in direction. This presents the chance to introduce changes that were already necessary for sustainability – for meeting the 2050 net zero carbon emissions targets – and for building a more resilient and profitable sector.
The event, which included a recorded introduction from Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, focused on the core issues: what are the short, medium and long term challenges? Can we still reach the net zero carbon targets for 2050, despite the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic? Together, how can the future of civil aviation be re-imagined?
