ICARE - International Conference on Airborne Research for the Environment

For the 10th anniversary of the European network of airborne facilities for research in environmental and geo-science, an international conference will be organized in Toulouse on October 25th - 31st 2010. Scientists involved in airborne research are invited to share experiences at expert workshops and contribute to a forward-look on user requirements and operator development strategy. A special focus will be on open access to airborne research infrastructures, joint development of a heavy-payload/long-endurance aircraft, availability of a stratospheric aircraft in Europe and the development of UAS for environmental research. An exhibition of European and US research aircraft will be organised at the Toulouse airport. Up to 60 stands will be available for airborne research scientists and SME's to display their capabilities. Representatives of research funding institutions and decision makers will be informed of the conclusions of the forward-look on airborne research and will witness inter-calibration flights. With most of the world's research aircraft based at the airport for three days, the operators will benefit, for the first time, from a unique opportunity to inter-calibrate their measurement systems. SMEs involved in airborne equipment will be invited to advertise their know-how and their most sophisticated products, and they will be able to reach the largest possible collection of aircraft operators and academic laboratories involved in airborne measurements. Finally, by visiting instrumented aircraft on the ground and remotely participating in real research flights, the public will better understand the rationale for the development of cutting edge research infrastructures.