European Facility For Airborne Research Dec. 22, 2024, 11:25
Within EUFAR, Transnational Access (TA) is offered to 17 instrumented aircraft ranging from a low- and slow-flying small single-engine aircraft (ENDURO) to a 4-engine jet aircraft that is capable of carrying several tons of instrumentation payload (BAe146). In addition, 3 specialist instruments (VITO-APEX, DLR-HIS and DLR-SAR) are separately available through TA. The funding offered to successful applicants provides an allocation of flight hours on the selected aircraft. It also provides a small amount of Travel and Subsistence (T&S) funding to enable Principal Investigators and other user-group members to participate in the planning and execution of the field campaign. This T&S funding is typically at the level of about €2500 for each approved project. Following the flight campaign, they are provided with calibrated and quality-controlled data by the aircraft operator.
TA funds do NOT cover any of the costs associated with the installation of additional instrumentation on the chosen aircraft platform. If there is a potential requirement for this, applicants should contact a representative of their selected aircraft operator as soon as possible. This will enable an early assessment of the feasibility of the installation and establish the level of additional funding that will be required beyond that available from EUFAR.
In order to continue to provide researchers with a method of access to research aircraft, EUFAR is currently developing a new process that is referred to as Open Access (OA). In this, funding for the flight hours is provided by the aircraft operators themselves (or their funding partners). Access to the aircraft is granted in exchange for resources provided in-kind by a separate country or agency. These resources may take a number of forms. One possibility is the provision of instrument scientists and engineers to work at the flight facility of one of the current EUFAR aircraft operators. Another alternative may be the development of a new instrument that may be a key to achieving the aims of scientists from the aircraft operator’s normal user base. A number of aircraft operators and funding bodies within the EUFAR network have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding to implement this scheme and it is planned to implement it fully over the next 2 years (2014-2015).
Any potential users who wish to obtain flight time on one of their aircraft are encouraged to discuss their requirements with the TA Coordinator (Phil Brown). They may also wish to submit an Expression of Interest as described above. We will discuss their requirements with them and explore the ways in which it may be possible to encourage their national funding agencies to provide support for it through the Open Access process.
Submitting a TA proposal
Each Call will indicate a closing date and an expected date by which approval will be notified. It is recommended that proposals should not include flight activity that is planned to take place less than 3 months after this expected approval date, in order to allow the activity to be integrated into the plans of the selected aircraft operator. Projects of a more complex nature may require a longer lead time than this. If so, it is expected that applicants will be advised of this by the aircraft operator at an early stage of discussion, prior to the final proposal submission. Applicants should first read the detailed guidelines on eligibility criteria, the review and selection procedure and completion of the online application form. A range of factors will be used to prioritise the allocation of funding to proposals submitted in response to each Call. These factors include:
At any stage of the application process, applicants may seek guidance from the operator of the aircraft or instrument in which they are interested or from the TA Coordinator.
To apply for transnational access in response to an open Call for Proposals, please click the icon below. If there are currently no open Calls for Proposals or none that would be related to your project, please submit an Expression of Interest, and we will notify you of any relevant Calls for Proposals in the future.
We encourage applications that are linked to multi-disciplinary research activities supported through the Transnational Access programs of other environmental research infrastructures such as ACTRIS and ENVRIplus. Applicants should describe such linkages clearly in their applications.
Calls for Proposals