 Welcome by the President and the DirectorDear Aerospace Colleagues; The Aerospace sector continues its consolidation in Barcelona and in Catalonia. Companies, Research Centres and Institutions are strengthening their links and consolidating fruitful collaborations. Our companies are closing new contracts with big players of the industry such as EADS-CASA; EADS-ASTRIUM; AIRBUS; BOEING; EUROCOPTER; ARIANESPACE; the European Space Agency (ESA); NASA; BAE; Rolls Royce or LORAL. Main Projects with Catalan contribution include the A380; the A320; the A400M; the BOEING 787; the F5/EF2000; the GALILEO Programme; the Planck satellite; the SMOS satellite with applications in Earth Observation; the bio-reactor MELISSA for the close-loop recycling of space crew waste products into profitable materials such as water, oxygen and food; the MARES system for the training and study of muscular atrophy for astronauts, to be accommodated into the Columbus module of the International Space Station (ISS); the European Space Agency Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) to autonomously re-supply the ISS; or the LISA-PATHFINDER technology precursor mission opening new frontiers in the exploration of the Universe, to cite but a few. They are all outstanding examples of the quality, innovation and high technology implementation our Associates are capable of. Concerning big infrastructures, progress is being made towards the establishment of the Barcelona SMOS Expert Centre for the validation of data processing algorithms for the SMOS mission; the establishment of the Maintenance Hangar of Iberia in the Barcelona El Prat Airport; as well as the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Airports, Airfields and Heliports of the Government of Catalonia along with its backing Law, with the objective to boost the network of airports in the Catalan territory. Continuous fostering of educational programs is another activity line of paramount importance in order to be prepared to meet the professional demands of the Sector: new educational degrees in Aircraft Maintenance; Master programs in Airports Management; as well as University Degrees in Aeronautical Engineering: all them are being pursued and promoted having attracted much interest and demand. BAIE has launched its Strategic Plan for the Period 2008-2012 as a fundamental tool to integrate and focus efforts towards the main strategic lines being identified: Aircraft and Space Vehicle Interiors, Comfort Engineering and Maintenance; Unmanned Aerial Systems; General and Business Aviation; Development of Aerospace-derived products and services for the citizen; and Human Spaceflight, including Space Tourism. Again all them being illustrative of the forward-thinking and creativeness we are capable of. Today, the Aerospace Cluster of Catalonia brings together more than 80 Associates including Administrations and other Institutions; Universities and other Research and Educational entities; Technology Centres; and Industry. Together, BAIE Associates cover the whole range of expertise necessary to undertake projects in Aerospace, from engineering, development, validation and implementation; up to formation of qualified professionals and provision of the necessary tools, resources and infrastructure. The Aerospace Sector has all the attributes necessary to contribute to build a prosperous economy based on high quality professionals, productivity, innovation and transfer of technology, exhibiting among the highest rates for exports and investment in Research and Development. We are proud of each and every BAIE Associate member summing-up its individual capabilities to shape the Aerospace sector we want and we deserve. The heart of BAIE, our Member Associates, represent the past, the present and the future of Aerospace in Catalonia. We are, in essence, a rising industry. 
Fernando de CaraltDr. Aeronautical Engineer & Pilot BAIE President 
Gloria Garcia-CuadradoPhysicist & Ms Theoretical Physics BAIE Director |