"The cluster has three main objectives: one of them is to double turnover, or, to increase from 1.2% to 3% of GDP within five years. I think it is an achievable goal, at this moment Europe is growing at 11% a year," said AED President, General José Cordeiro.

According to the official, who was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a conference on "The Challenges of the Aeronautical Industry" on the second day of the "Portugal Air Summit" held until Sunday in Ponte de Sor (Portalegre), the sector is made up of "three main axes" namely the "knowledge economy, network cooperation and internationalisation."

"The cluster represents about 60 companies, making €1.87 billion, which corresponds to 1.2% of GDP, and employs 18,500 people, 87% of which is exports, the internal market is residual," he said.

"In 2007 the cluster (in Portugal) did not exist, it is extremely recent which means that it has a very large capacity for growth," he stressed.

The president of AED argues that in the future it is necessary, "to invest a lot in innovation" and "create" an image of Portugal among the sector's big players, showing that the country is "attractive" for investment.

General Cordeiro also recalled that the aeronautical industry in Portugal is made up of "not just six or seven large companies," and "90%" consists of small companies, "nine" institutes and "four" universities, with "great diversification."

"We are producing about 120 aerospace engineers a year. We have to increase this capacity and there are already universities and polytechnics creating courses," he said.

"There are job shortages at the moment, of around 2,000 jobs. In addition to the aerospace engineers. It is a sector, for those who have children should invest in because they can guarantee a very high level of employability," he added.

Finally, he also stressed that Portugal "still has a long way to go" in this aeronautical cluster, warning that it is an area that is "emerging."