Business Plan

2006 2007

EUROAVIA International Board

Introduction ....................................................................................................... 3
1

Management and Organisation ..................................................................... 4

1.1

The International Board ............................................................................ 4

1.2

Structure of the Organisation ..................................................................... 4

Our Position in the Aerospace World ............................................................ 5

2.1

Where we are .......................................................................................... 5

2.2

What we do ............................................................................................. 5

2.3

Our Position in Europe .............................................................................. 6

Activities within the Association................................................................... 6

3.1
Working Groups ....................................................................................... 7
3.1.1 EUROAVIA News Permanent Working Group.............................................. 7
3.1.2 EUROAVIA Newsletter Permanent Working Group ...................................... 7
3.1.3 Information Technology Permanent Working Group .................................... 7
3.1.4 Central Archive Permanent Working Group................................................ 8
3.1.5 EUROAVIA Young Engineers in Aerospace Working Group............................ 8
3.1.6 Statutes and Bylaws Working Group ........................................................ 8
3.2
International Events ................................................................................. 9
3.2.1 Design Workshop .................................................................................. 9
3.2.2 Congresses .......................................................................................... 9
3.2.3 Formation Workshop.............................................................................. 9
3.2.4 Fly-Ins............................................................................................... 10
3.2.5 Symposia ........................................................................................... 10
3.2.6 Cultural Exchanges.............................................................................. 10
3.2.7 Space Mania ....................................................................................... 10
3.2.8 Air Shows .......................................................................................... 10

3.3

Local Activities ....................................................................................... 11

3.4

EUROAVIA Alumni Network...................................................................... 11

Focus of the Management........................................................................... 11

4.1

Communication...................................................................................... 12

4.2

Motivation ............................................................................................. 12

4.3

Promotion ............................................................................................. 12

Finances ..................................................................................................... 13
5.1

Current Situation ................................................................................... 13

5.2
Measures .............................................................................................. 13
5.2.1 European Union Grant.......................................................................... 13
5.2.2 EUROAVIA Support Framework ............................................................. 13
5.3

Outlook ................................................................................................ 13

Appendix A: International Board Contact Information ..................................... 15

Appendix B: EUROAVIA Sponsors ..................................................................... 16

Introduction
Dear Reader,
In front of you is the first public available Business Plan of the European Association of
Aerospace Students. Internally, the structure of EUROAVIA is well known and highly
organised. Therefore the International Board decides to take a step forward and shows
the vision about the Association and its future to everyone interested. The result is this
compact, very informative document, which clearly states the current situation and the
plans for the upcoming business year.
If this Business Plan is your first encounter with EUROVIA, it shall present a clear picture
of what EUROAVIA is, how it is managed, the activities it organises and the rich
opportunities it offers to agencies, companies, associations, universities and students.
For those already familiar with the Association it aims to explain the current situation and
the plans for the future.
Since the founding of EUROAVIA in 1959 a unique network of aerospace interested
students has evolved. Currently the Association represents over 1.200 students from 33
European universities in 17 countries. Throughout the years EUROAVIA has developed a
great deal of activities such as Congresses, Workshops, Cultural Exchanges, Fly-Ins,
Symposia, Lectures, Company Visits and Meetings. During these events our members
train their ability to work in an international environment and remain in touch with the
latest developments in the aerospace and aeronautical industry; they keep themselves
updated and broaden their minds.
The International Board will continue the work that evolved over the last 47 years inside
the Association of European Aerospace Students on a financially sound basis. Our aim is
to consolidate existing ideas and to enhance or finally settle them. These ideas should
strengthen the local groups and increase opportunities for our supporters and members.
We want to concentrate on establishing new relationships with the European Union and
improving our partnerships within the aerospace industry. The primary focus of
management will lie on communication, motivation and promotion.
The aerospace world known to be one of innovative ideas is adapting itself quickly to
new situations. Aerospace has changed humans view of its environment and plays an
important role in everyday life. Many students all over Europe are studying hard to
continue and improve this situation. EUROAVIA acts as an invaluable link between
students and their professional life. They get the chance to meet people from all over
Europe, experience different cultures and get acquainted with their future work
environment.
For these reasons the International Board is honoured to manage the Association and is
looking forward to a fruitful year.

Belgrade, 19th October 2006

The International Board of EUROAVIA

1 Management and Organisation

1.1 The International Board
The International Board is responsible for coordinating the Association, representing it on
international events and preparing it for the future. It consists of at least three elected
full time members of EUROAVIA, who spend a whole year administrating the Association.
They are located all over Europe an accurate example of the spirit of EUROAVIA.
In order to adopt a suitable leadership the International Board meets on a regular basis
either face-to-face, over the internet or using the telephone. Being such a widespread
Association that is naturally difficult to coordinate, plenty of challenges arise. Therefore
the workload is divided into tasks and the accompanying responsibilities are distributed
among the International Board members.
The International Board is going to uphold existing company contacts with greatest care
and will work on establishing new fruitful collaborations. Its members will be present at
major air shows, workshops and international meetings concerning the aerospace
industry to represent the European aerospace students.
The International Board members are:

Hessel Meijer

Vassilis Drakonakis

Michael Schlottke

Roy Posern

Athanassios Baltopoulos

President

Secretary

Treasurer

Executive Member

Executive Member

1.2 Structure of the Organisation

The following chart shows the internal structure of the Association. The Affiliated
Societies, who represent EUROAVIA on local level at universities, form the basis and are
in close contact with the International Board. It is also the International Board that
oversees the different Working Groups, which are explained in detail in chapter 4. For
certain projects various Working Groups are in direct contact with one or more Affiliated
Societies to facilitate a more efficient flow of information.

2 Our Position in the Aerospace World

The purpose of the European Association of Aerospace Students can be summarised as
follows:

We bring together aerospace students throughout Europe.

We act as a powerful link between these students and the aerospace industry.
We represent aerospace students on an international level.

2.1 Where we are

EUROAVIA is present at many major European universities that offer education in the
field of aerospace; the network of Affiliated Societies spans across the entire continent.
Our members are students in their first year up to those on the verge of entering the job
market. EUROAVIA currently consists of 33 Affiliated Societies and Prospective Affiliated
Societies with more than 1.200 members and numbers increasing.
To be able to get our members in contact with the aerospace industry the Association
maintains good relations with affiliated companies and supporters. Beyond the direct
contact our information reaches our partners via the Company Newsletter, the EUROAVIA
News magazine and the international homepage.

2.2 What we do
In order to achieve the objectives mentioned above a lot of activities are currently
available. The background of each event is different but the basis: to bring together
students, the aerospace industry, knowledge and a lot of fun.
The students are the foundation for the existence of EUROAVIA. Their involvement in the
Association shows their willingness and ability to operate in an international environment.
Our company partners are the supporters and sponsors of EUROAVIA, who have great
interest in our members as they represent the future workforce. The knowledge comes in
from all different fields of science, from fundamental physics and mathematics to satellite
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orbit determination or aircraft safety operations. The fun evolves naturally from
everyones enthusiasm for the subject and the gathering of different people and cultures.
Activities already begin on local level with regular meetings of an Affiliated Society,
where social cohesion is created and thoughts are exchanged in an informal environment.
They are continued through Fly-Ins, where a group of international students gathers on
technical and social level and makes visits to the aerospace industry in the region of the
organizing Affiliated Society. Finally they extend to the Design Workshop, the biannual
three-week event where motivated students from across Europe work together on a
technical scheme.
In order to maintain good communication between the International Board and the
Affiliated Societies, the link between the International Board and the local boards is of
vital importance. In this way, the activities of Affiliated Societies can be supported, their
current situation can be supervised and new ideas come up. But of course all EUROAVIA
members, whether they are part of a local board or not, should feel free to personally
contact the International Board when they have something on their mind.
Communication is a major point of interest for the International Board, which appreciates
the activities of the Affiliated Societies very much and will always be there to assist.

2.3 Our Position in Europe

Europe and its continuous course to unification are important for the Association, as they
influence some of our operations directly. Therefore EUROAVIA works a lot on its
relationship with the European Union, not only for recognition and support, but as well to
gain access to knowledge especially interesting for students. EUROAVIA is also part of
the Informal Forum of International Student Organizations (IFISO), a global network
formed by all kinds of student organizations. Participation in IFISO events is a chance for
us to establish new contacts, to learn from other organizations and to support them with
our experience and knowledge as well.

3 Activities within the Association

During the years, the creativity of the EUROAVIA members shaped many different kinds
of activities. Some of them bring students together at events, like Congresses and FlyIns. Others distribute important information to keep our members and all interested
people updated, like the Formation Workshop, the EUROAVIA News and the international
homepage. Supervised by the International Board, a lot of executive actions are
coordinated by Working Groups, which consist of motivated members from Affiliated
Societies of the Association.

3.1 Working Groups

3.1.1 EUROAVIA News Permanent Working Group
Editor in chief: Jennifer Go
The EUROAVIA News Permanent Working Group is responsible for editing and publishing
the EUROAVIA News, the Association's quarterly released journal. The EUROAVIA News
reaches students, professors, companies and libraries and covers a variety of topics that
are affiliated with the Association and the aerospace business. Next to articles about
technical issues it contains current business news, gives an account about ongoing and
upcoming EUROAVIA activities and always includes reports about local events and
projects.
The International Board sees the EUROAVIA News as a vital part for the promotion of and
the communication within the Association. It will support the Working Group in attracting
interested parties both external and internal to publish in the journal. First of all the
International Board goes new ways and attempts to catch the attention of advertisers
outside the traditional aerospace-related industries. Furthermore, the EUROAVIA News is
seen as an opportunity for students to publish their technical works, to exchange ideas
and to show the activity and cooperative spirit of the members.

3.1.2 EUROAVIA Newsletter Permanent Working Group

Coordinator: Daniele Pratali
The EUROAVIA Newsletter Permanent Working Group takes care of the EUROAVIA
Newsletter. The EUROAVIA Newsletter is the electronic counterpart to the EUROAVIA
News, published monthly as a PDF file. It contains mainly internal news, reports about
ongoing events and information from the local groups, and is a great way to
communicate International Board developments and decisions.
The International Board will support the Permanent Working Group to continue the
previously achieved good work. The preparation of the EUROAVIA Newsletter requires a
lot of work, which reflects the high motivation of its caretakers.

3.1.3 Information Technology Permanent Working Group

Coordinator: Carmen Ancuta
All internet activities of EUROAVIA are monitored and coordinated by the Information
Technology Permanent Working Group. The international homepage was relaunched a
couple of months ago, after a lot of work has been put in it. It now contains a lot of
important facts about the Association and comes in a very professional look.
The EUROAVIA Forum to be found at the international homepage opens a direct
communication channel between all EUROAVIA members. It is used to exchange
information, to stay in touch after international events and to communicate about
aerospace and fun stuff.

The Information Technology Permanent Working Group is key to the successful

coordination of EUROAVIA activities internationally. Although the new homepage is
finished, a lot of work is still going on in the background to provide the Association with
more online functionality then ever. The International Board supports the Permanent
Working Group whenever it can and will help to promote their results to all members.

3.1.4 Central Archive Permanent Working Group

Coordinator: Benjamin van Reijen
The Central Archive Working Group maintains a common database for EUROAVIA files
and media. The Central Archive server is located at the University of Aachen. Besides
serving as a platform for all official documents like the Business Plans and the Statutes
and Bylaws, it is also a place for articles, proceedings and pictures from Workshops and
Fly-Ins.
The goal of the Central Archive Working Group is to increase the amount of content by
digitalising old papers, including former EUROAVIA News, EUROAVIA Newsletters and
Design Workshop proceedings. The International Board encourages the use of the Central
Archive in combination with the EUROAVIA Forum as a means of exchanging information
and keeping contact with members.

3.1.5 EUROAVIA Young Engineers in Aerospace Working Group

Coordinator: Ivor van Dartel
The EUROAVIA Young Engineers in Aerospace (EYE) project aims to set up a portal for
students and graduates towards the aerospace business. Its goal is to support young
people in finding internships and later job offers, and to give them an opportunity to
share experience and gather advice for the application and job finding process. To
achieve these targets, the EYE is currently working on a website that will not only
incorporate a curriculum vitae database but also guidelines on how to create a successful
application. While students will be able to enter their CVs into the system and to search
for internship and job offers, affiliated companies will have the possibility to add
vacancies and to seek potential employers.
The EYE is a very important part of the corporate strategy, as it links the Association to
its affiliated companies in a direct and active way. It stands out against other career
portals as it focuses on aerospace-related fields and helps to establish the first contacts
to companies via internships. Therefore the International Board supports the Working
Group in all reasonable ways possible. A strong emphasis will be put on the completion
and the subsequent promotion of the EYE website, making it a priority goal for the near
future.

3.1.6 Statutes and Bylaws Working Group

Coordinator: Diego Vanelli
The Statutes and Bylaws contain basic information about the structure and proceedings
of the Association. Amendments can only be added on one of the Congresses and have to
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be prepared at least three months in advance. The Statutes and Bylaws Working Group
was set up in March 2006 to review the current versions in order to suggest changes to
the Congress. The International Board encourages the Working Group to scrutinise the
documents for suitable modifications that will prepare the Association for the next couple
of years.

3.2 International Events

3.2.1 Design Workshop
The Design Workshop is one of the Associations main events. A group of 20 to 25 highly
motivated students is selected through a Design Contest to spend three weeks on an
aerospace project in Europe. The Workshop is hosted at the engineering department of
an interested company, who also provides people from their departments to guide
through the project. External supporters and university professors help to ensure that at
the end of a Design Workshop an apt solution for the proposed topic is found.
The International Board firmly supports the continuation of this project in 2007, as it
offers students an invaluable experience. The Design Workshop promotes the true spirit
of EUROAVIA by breaking down cultural, linguistic and educational barriers the only
way to succeed is by learning to work in an international team. A major goal for the
International Board is to pave way for the following years by working on contacts with
companies to stimulate their interest in hosting the next Design Workshops.

3.2.2 Congresses
Congresses are the most important events for EUROAVIA itself. They pose the
opportunity for every Affiliated Society to state their opinions about all EUROAVIA-related
topics and to suggest changes or improvements, which will eventually be discussed and
decided.
The next Electoral Meeting of the EUROAVIA Congress will take place in Ankara in March
2007. The next Annual Meeting of the EUROAVIA Congress will be held in October 2007,
at a location still to be determined.

3.2.3 Formation Workshop

Coordinator: Jozef de Moor
The Formation Workshop is an annual event and a big opportunity to share knowledge
within EUROAVIA. It increases the quality of EUROAVIAs operations, whether in
organising international events or in maintaining a local board. The new International
Board usually presents its plans for the upcoming year and leads discussions about the
evolvement of the corporate strategy. As the Association is run completely by students
on a voluntary basis, this event is essential to preserve and pass on the knowledge to
future generations within EUROAVIA.

3.2.4 Fly-Ins
The so called Fly-Ins belong to the most popular EUROAVIA events, as they provide an
appealing mixture of technical instruction, cultural education and socialising with other
European students. An exciting schedule awaiting the 20 to 30 participants usually
ensures a quickly filled application list for the one-week events. Especially young
EUROAVIA members use the opportunity to learn more about different parts within the
Association. Meanwhile it is a great chance for the hosting Affiliated Societies to motivate
their members to be more active locally and internationally.
The International Board will support all Affiliated Societies who express their wish to host
a Fly-In in the upcoming business year. Within the next year a number of Fly-Ins will
take place across Europe, the local groups of Palermo, Madrid, Helsinki, Athens, London
and Terrassa already showed interest or prepared to host one respectively.

3.2.5 Symposia
A Symposium is a one-week international event with a strong emphasis on scientific
aspects, organised by an Affiliated Society. The days are usually filled with lectures and
presentations and allow the students to learn about new exciting technologies. In May
2007 the Affiliated Society Stuttgart plans to host the next Symposium. The topic will be
about bionic systems and bionics in general, with a special focus on composite materials.

3.2.6 Cultural Exchanges

Besides open application events on international level and events on local level there is a
niche for events with international attendance but less administration effort. A Cultural
Exchange is a smaller event that is directly arranged between interested Affiliated
Societies, easing the workload of promotion and organisation in comparison to a Fly-In.
The International Board strongly promotes to all Affiliated Societies to organise Cultural
Exchanges. They increase the contact between members internationally and enable more
people to experience the international side of EUROAVIA. Especially for new members a
Cultural Exchange is a great opportunity, as it permits them to participate in an
international event within a familiar environment.

3.2.7 Space Mania

Coordinator: Jochgem Gunnemann
The latest Working Group within EUROAVIA is the Space Mania Working Group, which
puts a focus on space-related activities and events. Its current project is a two week
event in early 2007, enabling participants to visit several highly interesting space-related
companies and places all over Europe.

3.2.8 Air Shows

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During the upcoming year the famous Paris Air Show in Le Bourget is organised. The
International Board will be there to represent the Association and to gather as many
fruitful contacts within the aerospace industry as possible. All EUROAVIA members are
encouraged to visit Le Bourget and similar events as well, as they can see the latest
developments in all fields of the aerospace business. Furthermore, smaller air shows are
considered for visits.

3.3 Local Activities

In addition to the international events of EUROAVIA one must not forget the local roots of
all members, which lie in their respective Affiliated Societies. It is very important that
EUROAVIA is also active on local level, which means that each Affiliated Society has good
contacts to companies, institutes and their universities, and of course has a lively
membership base. Therefore the International Board is willing to provide guidance for
any Affiliated Society about how to establish company contacts, to attract young
members and to organise local events. Examples for local activities are:

Lectures
Workshops
Excursions
Symposia
Other Events

3.4 EUROAVIA Alumni Network

Chairman: Pedro Raposo
The idea behind the EUROAVIA Alumni Network is to encourage graduates to continue
their involvement in EUROAVIA activities after their student life has come to an end. The
Alumni Network maintains the former members database and plans to establish contacts
between students and professionals in a mentoring scheme. Furthermore there are
regularly organized calls for proposals for providing financial support to EUROAVIA
projects, funded by benefactors within the Alumni Network.
Within the International Board there is consent that while the previous work of the
EUROAVIA Alumni Network was already very successful, it is now important to increase
its activity and especially to bind former members closer to the Association. Therefore
the International Board will assess a change to the Statutes, allowing Affiliated Societies
to accept non-students as members as well. The International Board is also looking
forward to set up a European mentoring scheme to link current students with the
experience and knowledge of former EUROAVIA members.

4 Focus of the Management

For the upcoming business year the International Board wants put a special focus on
three main topics: Communication, Motivation and Promotion. Although they are
separate issues they have to be treated combined the topics are all entangled and rely
on each other.

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4.1 Communication
Good communication is crucial to the successful operation of any organisation. Being an
association which aims to bring together students from all over Europe, communication is
one of EUROAVIAs core objectives.
The International Board works on improving communication on all levels to guarantee the
proper function of the Association in the future. An important issue is setting standards in
communication and documentation to avoid misunderstandings and increase efficiency.
However, to effectively enhance communication within EUROAVIA the collective efforts of
all members and entities are required.

4.2 Motivation
One of the key tasks of each International Board is to motivate EUROAVIAns and NonEUROAVIANs to participate actively on international level.
Within the Association it is important to encourage students to attend international
events and to join one of the international Working Groups. International events already
have a very good reputation among members who have been to one; therefore it is
necessary to pass on the spirit to others as well.
Vital to the financial base of the Association is the motivation of existing and new
companies to support EUROAVIA in financial and non-financial ways. There are several
support options for companies who want to contribute with direct investments, for which
in return they improve their visibility among aerospace students from all over Europe.
Providing personnel, holding lectures or hosting international events can be another
approach for institutions and companies who want to show their support to EUROAVIA.
Not least it is essential to attract new members on local level. While gaining member
acquisition is mainly a task of the Affiliated Societies, the International Board also looks
for instruments and opportunities to motivate students to join the EUROAVIA.

4.3 Promotion
Promotion plays a central role in the International Boards strategy, both internally and
externally.
All the members work voluntarily and their engagement is rewarded by the appreciation
they receive from others, therefore it has to be ensured that the results of their efforts
are publicly available. It is an imperative to make certain that all students within the
Association are informed about ongoing developments, enabling them to actively
participate themselves.
The external promotion of the EUROAVIA is another key task of the International Board.
Only if EUROAVIA reaches a high level of recognition within the industrial and scientific
world it sets the right environment to enlarge and strengthen the Association in a
sustainable way. Finding students who share the ideas and are willing to join EUROAVIA
is of fundamental significance, as they form the assets for the future.

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5 Finances
A sound financial foundation is the basis for sustainable growth. Therefore the
International Board makes use of all means to find new sources of income while
evaluating the best way to invest it.

5.1 Current Situation

EUROAVIAs current main sources of income are the member fees payable by each
Affiliated Society and the money from our sponsors. Presently EUROAVIA is in the
affiliation program of the European Space Agency and Carlo Gavazzi Space SpA, Von
Karman Institute, Vestel, Communit des Villes Arianes and Rolls-Royce as Supporting
Members. At the moment, most of the income is used for EUROAVIA News Working
Group expenses as well as the International Board Travel Fund. Other liabilities are
offices costs, pr material, meeting expenses, other Working Group expenditures and the
EUROAVIA Support Framework.

5.2 Measures
5.2.1 European Union Grant
This year EUROAVIA is again going to apply for the EU Grant issued by the European
YOUTH Programme, which was designed to support youth organisations active on a
European level. Unfortunately EUROAVIA was not able to receive the EU Grant last year,
as the last call for proposals favoured associations which are active politically as well.
EUROAVIA, however, is a non-political non-profit students association.

5.2.2 EUROAVIA Support Framework

The EUROAVIA Support Framework consists of the Financial Support Programme (FSP)
and the Travel Support Programme (TSP). The FSP is aimed at smaller Affiliated Societies,
allowing them to pay lower fees if they experience financial troubles. The TSP was set up
to guarantee the representation of all bodies of the EUROAVIA at international events. Its
purpose is to allow every (Prospective) Affiliated Society and all (Permanent) Working
Groups to have at least one member present at the two General Meetings and the
Formation Workshop.

5.3 Outlook
Previous efforts for finding sponsors and advertisers were mainly focused on aerospace
companies, although a lot of members make their careers in other fields of business.
Therefore the International Board wants to increase the Associations presence in all
engineering-related areas and beyond, establishing new partnerships with interested
companies and institutions. It is planned to make the News Working Group selfsustainable until the end of the business year, i.e. covering printing and shipping costs by
selling advertisements in the EUROAVIA News.
13

Due to the rising number of international EUROAVIA events the International Board
Travel Fund will be increased for the upcoming business year. The International Board is
convinced that the step is necessary to uphold its high international activity. That way it
will be possible to both show support to the Affiliated Societies and to increase and
improve the Associations international profile.
The International Board is confident that the combination of a new approach to
companies together with a strong presence on international events will make EUROAVIA
finances and therefore the whole Association more sustainable in the future.

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Appendix A: International Board Contact Information

Hessel Meijer, President

Vassilis Drakonakis, Secretary

Kluyverweg 1
2629 HS Delft
The Netherlands

19 Kokkinaki Street
GR 14561 Kifissia, Athens
Hellas

Phone:+31 (0) 6 40 223438

Email: hessel.meijer@euroavia.net

Phone:+30 (0) 6978 946212

Email: vassilis.drakonakis@euroavia.net

Michael Schlottke, Treasurer

Roy Posern, Executive Member

Breitwiesenstrasse 16/1
70839 Gerlingen
Germany

Auenstrasse 5
04838 Jesewitz, OT Kossen
Germany

Phone:+49 (0) 171 2811962

Email: michael.schlottke@euroavia.net

Phone:+49 (0) 173 5624643

Email: roy.posern@euroavia.net

Athanassios Baltopoulos, Executive Member

3 Parnassou Street
GR 14565 Agios Stefanos, Attikis
Hellas
Phone:+30 (0) 6937 180656
Email: athanassios.baltopoulos@euroavia.net

15

Appendix B: EUROAVIA Sponsors

EUROAVIA Associated Companies

EUROAVIA Supporting Members

16