Speaking at a recent meeting in Moscow to promote EU-Russian co-operation, TsAGI Director Vladimir Dmitriev said that while its research priorities have changed, TsAGI has remained steadfast in its drive towards scientific and technical excellence. Referring to the institute's shifting orientation, he said, "Ensuring flight safety has always been and remains our top priority, but world concerns about the environment and citizens' welfare have also pushed these priorities to the fore. TsAGI is well equipped to meet any new demands, having already helped to achieve numerous advances in aerodynamic and fuel efficiency. Making our industry competitive is also a key priority, and we see many areas of possible collaboration with our European partners."

An illustrious past -looking to the future

Founded in 1918 by the legendary Nikolay Zhukovsky, TsAGI is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year. The Institute has always been active in both development and testing phases of aircraft production, as well as in basic aerospace research. The list of TsAGI firsts is daunting, including the first ever multi-engine aeroplane, the first all-metal aeroplane and a long line of defence-related innovations. TsAGI has given birth to many of Russia's other leading aeronautics players, including the Central Institute of Aviation Motors (CIAM) and the Institute of Aviation Materials (VIAM). Indeed, TsAGI has been involved, either directly or indirectly, in every major Russian aerospace achievement of the last 100 years.

The sheer size and scope of TsAGI is impressive - about 100 buildings housing 5000 workers and some of the world's most advanced laboratories and testing facilities, spread over nearly 100 hectares outside of Moscow. TsAGI's complex of wind tunnels and gasdynamic research installations provide flight simulation at flow velocities up to Mach 25, while full-scale subsonic wind tunnels enable testing of large-scale heavy airplane models and their components, manoeuvrable aircraft with various types of weapons systems and full-scale cruise missiles with operating engines as well as research into aerodynamics, stability, controllability and flutter. Meanwhile, structural and thermal strength laboratories carry out static and service-life testing of full-scale structures in assembly and as separate units.

A hard road ahead

The freeing of the Russian aeronautics industry and its research institutes from government control has been painful. According to one TsAGI senior manager "We have had difficulties, and we still have many obstacles to overcome. Our local community here is largely dependant on the aeronautics industry, and the demands being placed on us to restructure and rationalise our business have created a lot of discomfort."

Part of the solution, it would seem, is to partner with international collaborators. According to Yury Shutkin, Director of TsAGI's International Department, the Institute has won contracts with over than 50 international corporations, including industrial giants like Boeing, Rockwell, and Lockhead Martin. "Most critically," he says, "we need to understand that in today's world, research must be efficient and oriented towards meeting real market and societal needs. During the Soviet era, researchers often had a free hand to work on anything they pleased, with or without a real application as an end goal. Today, competitiveness is a key concept. We have got to deliver the highest quality results, focussing on key projects and programmes, while keeping our own costs to a minimum."

One of the many wind tunnels at TsAGI

Europe as prime partner

Many Russians now see collaboration with European aerospace partners as a key priority on the road to competitiveness. For its part, the EU is actively seeking to promote increased Russian participation in the 6th Framework Programme for RTD (FP6).

The recent meeting in Moscow, co-sponsored by the European Commission and the Russian Aeronautics and Space Agency (Rosaviakosmos), highlighted opportunities for co-operation between Europe and Russia in the aeronautics sector. Under FP6, Russians can, for the first time, apply under the same conditions as EU Members for collaborative research funding in aeronautics.

The Moscow event will be followed by the EU-Russia Summit in November 2003, expected to result in a wide-reaching accord on scientific and technological co-operation. The next Aeronautics call for proposals is also expected to be announced in November 2003.

More information on this subject: European and Russian aeronautics researchers meet in Moscow TsAGI CIAM