The task attempted in this paper is to exhibit a contemporary perspective of aeronautical research trends, needs and opportunities and to draw from it such pointers to the future as may contribute in a manner both interesting and helpful to the overall theme of the meeting.

The contribution at which I am aiming is a broad presentation, not going deeply into technical detail but standing sufficiently back from the research scene that, while major details are still discernible to give the picture definition, at the same time the scene as a whole can be viewed in some relationship to its environment of project development, market opportunities, social considerations and other factors.