The National Institute for Aerospace Research
NCAS - National Institute for Aerospace Research "Elie Carafoli" is the leading research establishment in aerospace sciences in Romania, with more than 60 years tradition in aerospace engineering, flow physics and applied aerodynamics, using state-of-the-art technologies and unique infrastructure of national strategic importance. INCAS has been involved in all major national aeronautical projects for civil and military areas, and currently is acting as a major player in EU policy for R&D development under FlightPath 2050 vision and future Horizon 2020 program.
Reorganized in December 2008 under HG 1463, INCAS has been repositioned as a research establishment, acting under public law as INCD, coordinated by ANCS - National Authority for Scientific Research. This transformation recovers the original position of INCAS as a successor of INCREST - National Institute for Scientific and Technological Creation before 1990 and follows almost 20 years of activity as a private company of the state.
Starting 2007 INCAS has initiated a solid long term strategy towards recognition of the status and capabilities of Romania in aerospace sciences, making usage of the unique research infrastructure (including wind tunnels with state-of-the-art technology) and outstanding competencies in major and niche areas for development at international scale. At the same time, INCAS has been recognized as a policy maker in Europe and at international level, playing a major role in all programmatic documents and visions developed in the last 5 years in aeronautics.
The crafting of the current Development Plan is based on analysis of the global R&D area and new challenges imposed by the changing economic and social environment. INCAS is one of the contributors for the FlightPath 2050, an active participant to the new ACARE - Advisory Council for Aeronautical Research, has jointly developed the EREA - European Research Establishment in Aeronautics programmatic "Vision for the Future - Towards the Future Generation of Air Transport System", has initiated and signed as an institutional member the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers" and is one of the founder members of the IFAR - International Forum for Aviation Research. This is a solid basis for the foundation and implementation of the proposed Strategy and Development Plan for INCAS in the next decade.