General Members Assembly May 2023 | Airbus Leiden

Before the meeting the members had the possibility to visit Nebula, the production facility for launcher structures of Airbus.

The meeting started with a presentation by the host: Rob Postma, managing director Airbus Netherlands.

During the formal part of the GMA, Frank Jansen and Lex Besselink announced all the information about the office, board, the cooperation between LRN & NAG & LiT, the budget and activities. Frank introduced four new members: AIIR, Conscious Aerospace, ABB en Kiamco. Paul Rusch (Aeronamic) will fill the vacancy on the board that has arisen due to the departure of Marlie Koekenberg  (Toray Advanced Composites). Kai van Loon, Mark Ommert, Jan Verbeek, Liselotte Zoetmulder informed the members about respectively: a study around the Special Interest Groups, National Collective Business Plan, Young NAG and the international activities. Niek Lobe, aviation account holder at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, announced the new TSH regulation. This one will open on June 14th. Also the annual report of 2022 was presented.

After the formal part of the GMA there was a panel discussion “Business opportunities for sustainable aviation in the Netherlands”.

Panel members:

• Marloes van Put, Innovation Manager Sustainable Aviation at Airbus Netherlands
• Ron van Manen, Project Director Luchtvaart in Transitie
• Vincen de Haes, board member Young NAG and Sustainable Aviation Consultant To70.

The panel discussion “Business Opportunities for Sustainable Aviation in the Netherlands” was very productive. Frank Jansen kicked off: “Let’s start this: We are not motivated enough to go through the needed disruption.”

Ron van Manen: “We should be encouraged by the steps being taken now, such as new aircraft entering the fleet that are 20% more efficient and SAF enabled. The journey to a climate neutral will involve short, medium and long term actions. We need both immediate actions, and aggressive investment in disruptive technologies, recognising that these will have their biggest impact only after 2035.”

Marloes van Put: “There is not one silver bullet. There is not going to be enough electricity to do everything electric, there will also not be enough hydrogen in the world to go fully on hydrogen. SAF alone will not do the job. We will need to pursue many pathways. “

Vincent de Haes: “People may be paralysed by the unclearity of too many possibilities and messages. We need clarity to go through the transitions”

Parallel to the GMA there was also a program for Young NAG. Young NAG also joined the informal part of the GMA.

The meeting ended with a network drink and dinner buffet.