In this episode, we explore how the mechanics of bird wings are inspiring new approaches to prevent airplanes from stalling and learn how bio-mimetic designs from nature are paving the way for innovations in aviation, enhancing stability and safety for future flights.

Podcast: Scared of Flying Boeing? Nature Might Be The Solution

This article was discussed in our <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" rel="noopener noreferrer">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/613afcf0-5191-4293-a6a1-7f18ec73fe53?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> The full article will continue below.<hr>“These flaps can both help the plane avoid stall and make it easier to regain control when stall does occur,” said <a href="https://mae.princeton.edu/people/faculty/wissa" data-type="link" data-id="https://mae.princeton.edu/people/faculty/wissa">Aimy Wissa</a>, assistant professor of <a href="https://mae.princeton.edu/">mechanical and aerospace engineering</a> and principal investigator of <a href="https://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2409268121">the study</a>, published Oct. 28 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.The flaps mimic a group of feathers, called covert feathers, that deploy when birds perform &nbsp; certain aerial maneuvers, such as landing or flying in a gust. Biologists have observed when and how these feathers deploy, but no studies have quantified the aerodynamic role of covert feathers during bird flight. Engineering studies have investigated covert-inspired flaps for improving engineered wing performance, but have mostly neglected that birds have multiple rows of covert feathers. The Princeton team has advanced the technology by demonstrating how sets of flaps work together and exploring the complex physics that governs the interaction.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzMwMTYzMTAzMjIwLVdpc3NhLXBsYW5lLWZlYXRoZXJzLWhlcm8tZm9yLXdlYi0yMDQ4eDExNTIuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Princeton researchers at the Forrestal campus. Left to right: Ahmed K. Othman, Girguis Sedky, Hannah Wiswell and professor Aimy Wissa. Photo by Lori M. NicholsGirguis Sedky, postdoctoral researcher and the paper’s lead author, called the technique “an easy and cost-effective way to drastically improve flight performance without additional power requirements.”The covert flaps deploy or flip up in response to changes in airflow, requiring no external control mechanisms. They offer an inexpensive and lightweight method to increase flight performance without complex machinery. “They’re essentially just flexible flaps&nbsp;that, when designed and placed properly, can greatly improve a plane’s performance and stability,” Wissa said.A wing’s teardrop form forces air to flow quickly over its top, creating a low-pressure area that pulls the plane up. At the same time, air pushes against the bottom of the wing, adding upward pressure. Designers call the combination of this pull and push “lift.” Changes in flight conditions or a drop in an aircraft’s speed can result in stall, rapidly reducing lift.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzMwMTYzMTIzMjAxLWZvci13ZWItMDkxMjI0LVBSTi1XaW5kVHVubmVsLUxNTjI2NDcxLTE1MzZ4MTAzMC5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The researchers explored the physics behind the flaps’ performance in a wind tunnel at Princeton.Wissa’s team designed a series of experiments in the wind tunnel at Princeton’s Forrestal Campus to understand how flaps mimicking the feathers would affect flight performance, especially near stall, which usually happens when the plane is at a steep angle, when covert feathers were observed to deploy. The tunnel allowed the team to examine the way different flap arrangements affected variables like air pressure around the wings, wind speed over the wing and vortices that impact performance.The team attached the covert-inspired flaps to a 3D-printed model airplane wing and mounted it in the wind tunnel, a 30-foot-tall metal contraption that simulates and measures air flow. “The wind tunnel experiments give us really precise measurements for how air interacts with the wing and the flaps, and we can see what’s actually happening in terms of physics,” Sedky said.The wind tunnel is equipped with sensors that read the forces felt by the wing, as well as a laser and high-speed camera that measure precisely how air is moving around the wing.The study uncovered the physics by which the flaps improved lift and identified two ways that the flaps control air moving around the wing. One of these control mechanisms had not been previously identified. The researchers uncovered the new mechanism, called shear layer interaction, when they were testing the effect of a single flap near the front of the wing. They found that the other mechanism is only effective when the flap is at the back of the wing.The researchers tested configurations with a single flap and with multiple flaps ranging from two rows to five rows. They found that the five-row configuration improved lift by 45%, reduced drag by 30% and enhanced the overall wing stability.“The discovery of this new mechanism unlocked a secret behind why birds have these feathers near the front of the wings and how we can use these flaps for aircraft,” Wissa said. “Especially because we found that the more flaps you add to the front of the wing, the higher the performance benefit.”Following the results of the wind tunnel experiments, the team moved outside the lab and into the field to test the covert-inspired flaps on a scaled model aircraft. Princeton’s Forrestal Campus was once an airport and still features an operational helipad. So, the researchers teamed up with Nathaniel Simon, graduate student in mechanical and aerospace engineering who researches drone flight, and demonstrated the technology in real-world conditions by equipping a radio-controlled (RC) airplane with covert-inspired flaps.The researchers worked with members of the Somerset RC model aircraft club to select a model plane. The researchers then modified the airplane body to outfit it with an onboard flight computer, and Simon drew on his experience piloting drones to fly it. They programmed the flight computer to stall the aircraft autonomously and repeatedly. Simon said it was amazing to see the flaps deploy in-flight and to see that they helped delay and reduce stall intensity, just as they did in the wind tunnel. “It’s cool to be able to collaborate in the shared space at the Forrestal campus, and to see how many areas of research this project touched,” he said.Sedky said that in addition to improving flight, their findings could be extended to other applications where modifying the surrounding fluid would benefit performance. “What we discovered about how coverts alter the airflow around the wing can be applied to other fluids and other bodies, making them applicable to cars, underwater vehicles, and even wind turbines,” he said.Wissa said that this study could open the door to collaborations with biologists to learn more about the role of covert feathers in bird flight, and that the results of this study will help form new hypotheses that can be tested on birds. “That’s the power of bioinspired design,” she said. “The ability to transfer things from biology to engineering to improve our mechanical systems, but also use our engineering tools to answer questions about biology.”<hr>The paper, “Distributed feather-inspired flow control mitigates stall and expands flight envelope,” by was published Nov. 20 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Besides Wissa, Sedky and Simon, authors include Ahmed K. Othman, and Hannah Wiswell, graduate students in mechanical and aerospace engineering. Support for the project was provided in part by the National Science Foundation.

Princeton researchers equipped the wings of an RC plane with wing feather-inspired flaps, and flew it at Princeton’s Forrestal Campus to prove that the flaps help prevent airplanes from stalling. Photos by Lori M. Nichols

Taking inspiration from bird feathers, Princeton engineers have found that adding rows of flaps to a remote-controlled aircraft’s wings improves flight performance and helps prevent stalling, a condition that can jeopardize a plane’s ability to stay aloft. 

Bird wings inspire new approach to flight safety

<h2 id="isPasted">Stay at the cutting edge of the aerospace industry</h2>We are pleased to have partnered with <a href="https://www.rocelec.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Rochester Electronics</a> to launch the Future-Proofing Aerospace whitepaper.The aerospace industry is continuously evolving, driven by the need to modernize, improve efficiency, and drive down costs. However, as avionics – the electronic systems that power aircraft – continue to advance, the preservation of legacy systems becomes increasingly vital. This whitepaper offers critical insights into the importance of maintaining these systems, the challenges posed by component obsolescence, and the solutions available to navigate these complexities.<h3>Whitepaper highlights:</h3><ol><li>Understand the Importance of Legacy Systems: Discover why preserving legacy avionics systems is crucial for reliability, compliance, and cost-effectiveness.</li><li>Navigate Component Obsolescence: Learn about the challenges aerospace designers face due to outdated or discontinued components and how to address them.</li><li>Explore Solutions from Rochester Electronics: Gain insights into how Rochester Electronics specializes in preserving and replicating obsolete components to ensure the continued operation of legacy systems.</li></ol>One of the most pressing threats to the continuity of legacy systems is component obsolescence. Obsolescence occurs when a component is no longer produced, supported, or available from the original manufacturer, rendering it difficult or impossible to procure. This situation poses a significant risk to the ongoing operation and maintenance of aerospace systems, as finding suitable replacements can be challenging and costly.Components can become obsolete for a myriad of different reasons, and often, a confluence of various reasons ultimately renders a component obsolete. Influences such as market trends, technological advancements, and economic pressures all come into play in this unfortunate but unavoidable part of the electronics lifecycle.At Rochester Electronics, we specialize in helping customers navigate the complexities of component obsolescence. Understanding the causes of component obsolescence is necessary for developing effective strategies to mitigate its impact.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzE5NDg1MzQzODczLXJvY2hlc3RlciBtb2NrdXAzLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><iframe src="https://c8056756.sibforms.com/serve/MUIFAI58ML_0Jkq9ohSSVMrlfZ0o5Eup39aCZcy3V6OAZo33jakOcLECU6nQ3NIK9BP2kTGzF7l86SWC2L2j4CzrX7ON60erda6KYq1u3fkfZlqfqvx3n-tgHoSgZUr9MPV6ZCTY28OxdOhn8Fe0Sr2_Je6Hij8GIv-S5GMMYtVvFfZS2Eb2YYUeZ97JSsuW5lvaTW-dqGZytjXp" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" allowfullscreen="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 540px; height: 350px;" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true">&nbsp;</iframe><h2 dir="ltr">Tester Platform Evolution</h2>An important aspect of the component manufacturing lifecycle is the testing procedures that confirm product quality and functionality. To this end, component manufacturers employ a variety of specialized testing platforms, which entail complex and expensive equipment. In this context, one of the largest causes of component obsolescence is the obsolescence of the underlying testing platforms.&nbsp;Consider a component first developed in the 1980s. At the time of development, the testing equipment used in the manufacturing process was likely state-of-the-art, meeting the frequency, power, and communication protocol requirements to test the component under test accurately. Fast-forward to today, however, and what was considered state-of-the-art for the testers in the 1980s is likely extremely antiquated.&nbsp;Modern semiconductor devices operate at higher frequencies and lower voltages while employing newly developed communication protocols that didn’t exist in the 1980s[1]. Naturally, a testing platform from antiquity cannot support the testing of new components, and as such, the industry has moved towards newer, more advanced tester platforms. In moving away from legacy tester platforms, the industry also inadvertently pushes legacy components towards obsolescence, as the testing infrastructure needed for manufacturing is no longer supported or economical to maintain. As new tester platforms are often incompatible with legacy components, this incompatibility creates a significant hurdle for maintaining legacy systems. The inability to test these components effectively can lead to increased risks of failures and reduced reliability[2].<h2 dir="ltr">Advances in Silicon Fabrication Processes</h2>In a similar fashion, component obsolescence is often a result of advances in the silicon fabrication processes used for modern components. As semiconductor manufacturers develop more sophisticated and efficient techniques, they introduce new generations of components with enhanced performance, reduced power consumption, and smaller form factors. These new components often lead to the end-of-life (EOL) status for older components because the previous technology cannot compete with the improved capabilities and efficiencies of the new models[3].Additionally, as fabrication processes evolve, the equipment and materials required to manufacture older components become less available, increasing production costs and reducing the economic viability of continuing to produce these outdated parts. Manufacturers are more inclined to shift their resources toward producing newer, more profitable components that align with the latest fabrication technologies.The impact of these advances extends beyond the components themselves. New silicon fabrication processes often necessitate updates in design software, testing protocols, and even supply chain logistics. Companies must adapt their entire ecosystem to accommodate these changes, further accelerating the EOL status of older components incompatible with the new infrastructure.<h2 dir="ltr">Package Obsolescence&nbsp;</h2>Evolution in packaging technology for modern components can often be a driving force in the obsolescence of legacy components[4]. As packaging technologies evolve to meet the demands of modern electronics, such as smaller sizes, better thermal management, and greater power capacity, older packages become less viable, eventually phasing out components that rely on these outdated packages.Packaging advancements are driven by the need for smaller, more efficient, and higher-performing electronic devices. Modern packaging techniques, such as Ball Grid Array (BGA), Chip Scale Package (CSP), and Wafer Level Package (WLP), offer numerous benefits over older methods like Dual In-line Package (DIP) or Small Outline Integrated Circuit (SOIC). These advanced packages enable higher pin counts, better thermal performance, and improved electrical characteristics, all of which are essential for contemporary high-speed and high-density applications.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzE5NDg2ODc1OTM1LXNodXR0ZXJzdG9ja182OTE1NDg1ODMuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">When a new packaging technology is introduced, it often leads to the development of new components designed to take full advantage of the improved performance and miniaturization. This shift renders older packages less attractive, as they cannot match the benefits offered by newer technologies. Consequently, components that rely on older packages become obsolete as demand decreases and manufacturers shift their focus to producing components with modern packaging.Moreover, the transition to new packaging technologies can lead to supply chain and manufacturing challenges. Older packaging equipment and materials may become scarce or more expensive to source and maintain, making it economically unfeasible for manufacturers to continue producing components with outdated packages. This economic pressure accelerates the obsolescence of components using older packaging technologies.<h2 dir="ltr">Economic Factors</h2>Manufacturers may discontinue the production of no longer profitable components, particularly if demand has shifted to newer technologies[5]. Like many others, the aerospace industry is subject to market dynamics that influence the availability of components. As newer, more advanced technologies become prevalent, the demand for older components declines, leading to their obsolescence.A notable variable in this equation is the cost inefficiencies associated with producing small quantities of obsolete components, which can be prohibitive for manufacturers. For instance, maintaining production lines for older components requires significant machinery, tooling, and skilled labor investments. These production lines often need specialized equipment and processes tailored to the specific requirements of the legacy components. As these components age, the machinery and tooling needed to produce them may also become obsolete, requiring costly upgrades or replacements.Additionally, sourcing raw materials for obsolete components can present significant challenges. Materials used in older manufacturing processes may no longer be readily available, or their supply may have dwindled, driving up costs. Manufacturers must navigate these supply chain complexities, often dealing with higher prices for limited quantities of materials. This situation can further erode the profitability of producing obsolete components.Given these economic realities, manufacturers often prioritize the production of components with higher demand and better profit margins. Newer technologies attract larger markets due to their improved performance, enhanced capabilities, and greater efficiency. As a result, manufacturers allocate their resources to developing and producing these advanced components, leaving older technologies behind. This shift in focus accelerates the obsolescence of legacy components as manufacturers gradually phase out their production to concentrate on more lucrative opportunities.<h1 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h1>Component obsolescence is a major threat to the preservation of legacy systems. It is important to fully understand its potential causes to best prepare ourselves to handle the challenges arising from it. At Rochester Electronics, we’ve spent decades helping customers navigate the complexities of component obsolescence across all industries. In the next article in this series, we’ll look deeper at the challenges customers encounter when faced with obsolete components.&nbsp;<h3 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">You can learn more about the future-proofing of the aerospace industry by diving into this insightful whitepaper.</h3><h3>Futureproofing Aerospace Whitepaper Highlights:</h3><ol><li>Understand the Importance of Legacy Systems: Discover why preserving legacy avionics systems is crucial for reliability, compliance, and cost-effectiveness.</li><li>Navigate Component Obsolescence: Learn about the challenges aerospace designers face due to outdated or discontinued components and how to address them.</li><li>Explore Solutions from Rochester Electronics: Gain insights into how Rochester Electronics specializes in preserving and replicating obsolete components to ensure the continued operation of legacy systems.</li></ol><iframe src="https://c8056756.sibforms.com/serve/MUIFAI58ML_0Jkq9ohSSVMrlfZ0o5Eup39aCZcy3V6OAZo33jakOcLECU6nQ3NIK9BP2kTGzF7l86SWC2L2j4CzrX7ON60erda6KYq1u3fkfZlqfqvx3n-tgHoSgZUr9MPV6ZCTY28OxdOhn8Fe0Sr2_Je6Hij8GIv-S5GMMYtVvFfZS2Eb2YYUeZ97JSsuW5lvaTW-dqGZytjXp" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" allowfullscreen="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 540px; height: 350px;" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true">&nbsp;</iframe><h3 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">You can learn more about the future-proofing of the aerospace industry by diving into our related article series.</h3>Read more in the series:<a href="http://the%20importance%20of%20preserving%20legacy%20systems%20in%20avionics/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Article 1: The Importance of Preserving Legacy Systems in Avionics</a><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/the-causes-of-component-obsolescence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Article 2: The Causes of Component Obsolescence</a><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/customer-challenges-with-obsolete-components" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Article 3: Customer Challenges with Obsolete Components</a>Article 4: <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/solving-obsolescence-with-rochester-electronics" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Solving Obsolescence with Rochester Electronics</a>Article 5: <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/proactive-strategies-for-managing-avionics-obsolescence/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Proactive Strategies for Managing Avionics Obsolescence</a><h1 dir="ltr">References</h1><ol><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://saemobilus.sae.org/papers/integrated-test-platforms-taking-advantage-advances-computer-hardware-software-2005-01-1044" target="_blank">https://saemobilus.sae.org/papers/integrated-test-platforms-taking-advantage-advances-computer-hardware-software-2005-01-1044</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7589645" target="_blank">https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7589645</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5388819/" target="_blank">https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5388819/</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/364/1/012095" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/364/1/012095</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/mksc.8.1.35" target="_blank">https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/mksc.8.1.35</a></li></ol>

Futureproofing Aerospace Series. Article #2: Understanding the causes of component obsolescence can help us better prepare for it.

The Causes of Component Obsolescence

To save on fuel and reduce aircraft emissions, engineers are looking to build lighter, stronger airplanes out of advanced composites. These engineered materials are made from high-performance fibers that are embedded in polymer sheets. The sheets can be stacked and pressed into one multilayered material and made into extremely lightweight and durable structures.But composite materials have one main vulnerability: the space between layers, which is typically filled with polymer “glue” to bond the layers together. In the event of an impact or strike, cracks can easily spread between layers and weaken the material, even though there may be no visible damage to the layers themselves. Over time, as these hidden cracks spread between layers, the composite could suddenly crumble without warning.Now, MIT engineers have shown they can prevent cracks from spreading between composite’s layers, using an approach they developed called “nanostitching,” in which they deposit chemically grown microscopic forests of carbon nanotubes between composite layers. The tiny, densely packed fibers grip and hold the layers together, like ultrastrong Velcro, preventing the layers from peeling or shearing apart.In experiments with an advanced composite known as thin-ply carbon fiber laminate, the team demonstrated that layers bonded with nanostitching improved the material’s resistance to cracks by up to 60 percent, compared with composites with conventional polymers. The researchers say the results help to address the main vulnerability in advanced composites.“Just like phyllo dough flakes apart, composite layers can peel apart because this interlaminar region is the Achilles’ heel of composites,” says Brian Wardle, professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT. “We’re showing that nanostitching makes this normally weak region so strong and tough that a crack will not grow there. So, we could expect the next generation of aircraft to have composites held together with this nano-Velcro, to make aircraft safer and have greater longevity.”Wardle and his colleagues have <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsami.3c17333" target="_blank">published their results</a> today in the journal ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. The study’s first author is former MIT visiting graduate student and postdoc Carolina Furtado, along with Reed Kopp, Xinchen Ni, Carlos Sarrado, Estelle Kalfon-Cohen, and Pedro Camanho.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1713566912216-MIT-Nanostitch-02-press.jpg" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Nanostitching involves “growing” a forest of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNT) on a wafer of silicon, through a process of chemical vapor deposition. The CNT-deposited wafer (to the left in grid “a”) is then inverted and pressed onto a larger composite ply (b), and lifted away, leaving the CNTs on the composite’s surface (c). A second ply is placed over the first, with the CNTs between, “stitching” the plies together. Image: Courtesy of the researchers<h2>Forest growth</h2>At MIT, Wardle is director of the necstlab (pronounced “next lab”), where he and his group <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2016/carbon-nanotube-stitches-strengthen-composites-0803" target="_blank">first developed</a> the concept for nanostitching. The approach involves “growing” a forest of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes — hollow fibers of carbon, each so small that tens of billions of the the nanotubes can stand in an area smaller than a fingernail. To grow the nanotubes, the team used a process of chemical vapor deposition to react various catalysts in an oven, causing carbon to settle onto a surface as tiny, hair-like supports. The supports are eventually removed, leaving behind a densely packed forest of microscopic, vertical rolls of carbon.The lab has previously shown that the nanotube forests can be grown and adhered to layers of composite material, and that this fiber-reinforced compound improves the material’s overall strength. The researchers had also seen some signs that the fibers can improve a composite’s resistance to cracks between layers.In their new study, the engineers took a more in-depth look at the between-layer region in composites to test and quantify how nanostitching would improve the region’s resistance to cracks. In particular, the study focused on an advanced composite material known as thin-ply carbon fiber laminates.“This is an emerging composite technology, where each layer, or ply, is about 50 microns thin, compared to standard composite plies that are 150 microns, which is about the diameter of a human hair. There’s evidence to suggest they are better than standard-thickness composites. And we wanted to see whether there might be synergy between our nanostitching and this thin-ply technology, since it could lead to more resilient aircraft, high-value aerospace structures, and space and military vehicles,” Wardle says.<h2>Velcro grip</h2>The study’s experiments were led by Carolina Furtado, who joined the effort as part of the MIT-Portugal program in 2016, continued the project as a postdoc, and is now a professor at the University of Porto in Portugal, where her research focuses on modeling cracks and damage in advanced composites.In her tests, Furtado used the group’s techniques of chemical vapor deposition to grow densely packed forests of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. She also fabricated samples of thin-ply carbon fiber laminates. The resulting advanced composite was about 3 millimeters thick and comprised 60 layers, each made from stiff, horizontal fibers embedded in a polymer sheet.She transferred and adhered the nanotube forest in between the two middle layers of the composite, then cooked the material in an autoclave to cure. To test crack resistance, the researchers placed a crack on the edge of the composite, right at the start of the region between the two middle layers.“In fracture testing, we always start with a crack because we want to test whether and how far the crack will spread,” Furtado explains.The researchers then placed samples of the nanotube-reinforced composite in an experimental setup to test their resilience to “delamination,” or the potential for layers to separate.“There’s lots of ways you can get precursors to delamination, such as from impacts, like tool drop, bird strike, runway kickup in aircraft, and there could be almost no visible damage, but internally it has a delamination,” Wardle says. “Just like a human, if you’ve got a hairline fracture in a bone, it’s not good. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not impacting you. And damage in composites is hard to inspect.”To examine nanostitching’s potential to prevent delamination, the team placed their samples in a setup to test three delamination modes, in which a crack could spread through the between-layer region and peel the layers apart or cause them to slide against each other, or do a combination of both. All three of these modes are the most common ways in which conventional composites can internally flake and crumble.The tests, in which the researchers precisely measured the force required to peel or shear the composite’s layers, revealed that the nanostitched held fast, and the initial crack that the researchers made was unable to spread further between the layers. The nanostitched samples were up to 62 percent tougher and more resistant to cracks, compared with the same advanced composite material that was held together with conventional polymers.“This is a new composite technology, turbocharged by our nanotubes,” Wardle says.“The authors have demonsrated that thin plies and nanostitching together have made significant increase in toughness,” says Stephen Tsai, emeritus professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford University. “Composites are degraded by their weak interlaminar strength. Any improvement shown in this work will increase the design allowable, and reduce the weight and cost of composites technology.”The researchers envision that any vehicle or structure that incorporates conventional composites could be made lighter, tougher, and more resilient with nanostitching.“You could have selective reinforcement of problematic areas, to reinforce holes or bolted joints, or places where delamination might happen,” Furtado says. “This opens a big window of opportunity.”

This schematic shows an engineered material with composite layers. Layers of carbon fibers (the long silver tubes) have microscopic forests of carbon nanotubes between them (the array of tiny brown objects). These tiny, densely packed fibers grip and hold the layers together, like ultrastrong Velcro, preventing the layers from peeling or shearing apart. Image: Courtesy of the researchers, edited by MIT News

In research that may lead to next-generation airplanes and spacecraft, MIT engineers used carbon nanotubes to prevent cracking in multilayered composites.

"Nanostitches" enable lighter and tougher composite materials

The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) and the EUROCONTROL Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC) have jointly demonstrated that long-lasting contrails can be avoided by slightly changing flight altitudes. The procedure that was tested is an important step towards significantly reducing the climate impact of aviation in the long term. The results have now been published in the journal 'Meteorologische Zeitschrift' (in English).In 2021, there was considerably less air traffic than in previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A research team led by Robert Sausen from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/pa" target="_blank">DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics</a> and Rüdiger Ehrmanntraut from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eurocontrol.int/muac" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MUAC</a> used this situation for analyses in the upper airspace over north-west Germany and the Benelux countries.The 'avoidance' procedure was used every alternate day, when the weather forecast for the flight altitudes used by regular air traffic suggested that long-lasting contrails would form. The flights were diverted up or down by 2000 feet (approximately 660 metres). The researchers then used satellite images to check whether or not long-lasting contrails had formed. The flights on the days when air traffic was not subject to the procedure served as a reference. The research team was able to show that long-lasting contrails occurred less frequently.<h2>Avoiding the climate impact of contrails</h2>The overall climate impact of aviation is significantly greater than its carbon dioxide emissions alone. This is due to what are referred to as non-carbon-dioxide effects. These are comparatively large in the case of air transport. The reason for this is that aircraft usually emit at altitudes where their emissions have a different effect than on the ground and have a particularly large climate impact. The non-carbon-dioxide effects of air transport include, in particular, contrails and contrail cirrus – that is, ice clouds. The non-carbon-dioxide effects of aviation can have both a warming and a cooling effect, with the warming effect predominating. As they only have short atmospheric lifetimes compared to carbon dioxide, the effects are not evenly distributed in the atmosphere. Their effect on the climate therefore depends heavily on numerous parameters – geographical location, altitude, time of emission, position of the Sun and weather conditions. This opens up the possibility of reducing the climate impact of aviation by choosing suitable flight routes and altitudes (referred to as climate-optimised flight trajectories). However, the use of climate-optimised flight trajectories generally leads to increased carbon dioxide emissions. As such, the optimised flight trajectories must be selected in such a way that the overall climate impact of the flight in question is reduced.Important prerequisites for the possible introduction of such climate-optimised flight trajectories include:<ul><li>The climate impact of individual flights must be able to be predicted so reliably by the weather services that a diversion of air traffic actually leads to a reduction in the climate impact.</li><li>The climate impact of non-carbon-dioxide effects must be integrated into the operational tools and processes for planning flight trajectories. This requires a system that calculates the climate impact of a flight with sufficient accuracy within the time available for flight planning.</li><li>When flights are rerouted in higher airspace, it must be ensured that authorised air traffic can continue to be handled safely, in an orderly way and without delays, because taking climate aspects into account when selecting trajectories can lead to capacity bottlenecks in the airspace.</li></ul>In contrast to the other non-carbon-dioxide effects, in the case of long-lasting contrails it is possible to control whether more or fewer contrails are formed. This requires sophisticated statistical methods. The DLR and EUROCONTROL/MUAC team used this to prove that the avoidance of long-lasting contrails actually works in real air traffic. This is a successful step on the way to climate-friendly air transport.

Aircraft engines emit soot particles. These act as condensation nuclei for small supercooled water droplets, which immediately freeze into ice crystals and become visible as contrails in the sky. Credit: © DLR. All rights reserved

An international research team has successfully demonstrated that long-lasting contrails can be avoided by adjusting flight altitudes.

Changing flight altitudes avoids the formation of climate-damaging contrails

Power electrification and automated driving are being promoted at a remarkable speed for automobiles owing to advances in electronic technologies such as batteries, motors, and power electronics. On the other hand, strict safety requirements are imposed on aircraft engines. Therefore, electrifying them has been considered unfeasible on both a technical and commercial basis, which resulted in efforts in that area being shelved.Nevertheless, the number of passengers in air passenger transport increased by about 2.7 times from 2001 to 2019*1. This has led to concerns about the negative impact on the environment from the exhaust gas accompanying the further increase in the number of flights in the future. Moreover, an increase in the number of accidents has also been predicted. Accordingly, there is a particular need for the development of autopilot systems that enhance safety during takeoff and landing when the accident rate is high.We explain here the electrification of engines, which solves the problem of exhaust gas from aircraft, and the latest autopilot system technologies, which enhance the safety of aircraft operation.*1: Source: <a href="http://www.jadc.jp/files/topics/174_ext_01_0.pdf" target="_blank" data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true">Japan Aircraft Development Corporation</a> (This linked page is in Japanese.)<h2>Electrification of Aircraft Engines</h2>Aircraft engines have been electrified up to now with a focus on auxiliary equipment such as hydraulic pumps and fuel supply devices. However, amid the international trend toward decarbonization, we have come to see that there is a limit to the extent to which we can curb the amount of exhaust gas with conventional efforts. Accordingly, attempts have begun in recent years to completely eliminate or greatly reduce exhaust gas by electrifying the engine itself (propulsion system). We explain here the limits of conventional efforts, the necessity of electrifying aircraft engines, the system of electric engines, and more.&nbsp;<h3>Conventional Efforts</h3>Electrification has already been promoted in various devices installed on aircraft. This initiative is called More Electric Engine (MEE). It is a technology that electrically drives devices previously driven mechanically, hydraulically, or pneumatically. For example, the power required to drive fuel pumps and hydraulic pumps was obtained from jet engine power and bleed air*2. Replacing that with an electric motor reduces the load applied to the engine. Moreover, carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced by mixing bio-fuel called Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) into aviation fuel, and fuel consumption has been improved by increasing the size of propulsion fans, among other measures.Nevertheless, these measures are only improvements to the auxiliary equipment other than the jet engine and the fuel. There has been a limit to obtaining effects such as eliminating or greatly reducing exhaust gases.*2: This is when some compressed air is extracted from a compressor in a gas turbine engine.<h3>Trend Toward Electrification</h3>The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and other bodies have set a target to be achieved by 2050 of halving carbon dioxide emissions compared with the level in 2005. In the midst of such international trends, it has become clear that it would be difficult to achieve that target with the electrification of engine auxiliary equipment up to now and improvements in the fuel and the fuel consumption.Accordingly, the electrification of aircraft engines is attracting attention as a technology to both handle the increase in aviation demand expected in the future and to reduce exhaust gases. If we replace jet engines with electric motors for aircraft engines, we will be able to eliminate or greatly reduce exhaust gases from engines. Therefore, the development of electric engines has become a pressing issue for many aviation-related research institutes and aircraft manufacturers.<h2>Electric Engine Systems</h2>There are two types of electric engine systems that replace jet engines: the pure electric system that obtains propulsion with just the electric motor and the hybrid system that employs both a jet engine and an electric motor.<h3>Pure Electric Systems</h3>This is also called the full electric system. The engine in this system consists of a secondary battery, an electric motor, and a propulsion fan (Fig. 1). The electric motor is driven by the power from the secondary battery. The propulsive power is obtained from the rotation of the propulsion fan. Absolutely no jet fuel is used in this system. As a result, there are zero carbon dioxide emissions. However, the propulsive power comes from the electric motor and only the secondary battery supplies power. Accordingly, it is difficult to fly a medium-sized or large aircraft with the energy density of current lithium-ion batteries. That means only small aircraft such as single-seater or two-seater can be flown with this system.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk0NDY1ODk1OTI1LWltZzFlbiAoMSkucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Fig. 1: Pure electric system<h3 id="isPasted">Hybrid Systems</h3>There are two types of hybrid system: the parallel hybrid system and the series hybrid system. These are systems that combine a jet engine or a gas turbine and an electric motor. It is possible to obtain large propulsion for a long period of time compared to the pure electric system. Therefore, these systems can also be used to fly medium-sized and large aircraft.<h4>Parallel Hybrid Systems</h4>The engine in parallel hybrid systems consists of a jet engine, a secondary battery, and an electric motor driven by the secondary battery (Fig. 2). The propulsive power is obtained by rotating the propulsion fan using both the jet engine and the electric motor.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk0NDY1OTI2NjMxLWltZzJlbi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Fig. 2: Parallel hybrid system<h4 id="isPasted">Series Hybrid Systems</h4>The engine in series hybrid systems consists of a generator, a jet engine for driving the generator, and a secondary battery in addition to the electric motor (Fig. 3). The rotation of the jet engine is transferred to the generator to generate power. The electric motor is then driven by that power to rotate the propulsion fan. The jet engine is used to drive the generator. This gives the system some advantages. There is a high degree of freedom in the location where the system is installed on the aircraft. There are also few restrictions on the placement position of the electric fans that generate propulsion and the number of those fans. Moreover, it is also possible to charge the secondary battery by regenerating the surplus power and the rotational energy of the jet engine when not using the electric motor.The power generated by the jet engine drives the electric motor in this system. This means energy loss occurs during power generation. However, it is possible to improve the propulsion efficiency by optimizing the placement and number of propulsion fans utilizing the high degree of freedom in design.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk0NDY1OTQ5NzU0LWltZzNlbi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Fig. 3: Series hybrid system<h2 id="isPasted">Latest Aircraft Autopilot (Automatic Control) System Technologies</h2>Aircraft autopilot systems have a long history. They are able to provide stable operation after takeoff. However, it has not been possible to use autopilot systems for taking off and landing in difficult conditions due to the accompanying danger. Nevertheless, it has started to become possible in recent years to operate aircraft with the autopilot system even under conditions that would once have been considered difficult. This has been achieved by improving the precision of radar, image recognition systems, and radio wave sensors, increasing the response speed of actuators such as motors and valves, and enhancing other areas. Against such a background, experiments have also begun recently to perform all operations, from takeoff to landing, with the autopilot system.&nbsp;<h3>What Is an Autopilot System?</h3>The autopilot system automates the operation of aircraft to reduce the operational burden on the pilot. When using the autopilot system, the pilot can operate the aircraft automatically by setting the altitude, bearing, speed, destination, and other conditions based on instructions from air traffic control, weather information, location information, information on aircraft in the surroundings, and other data.In general, pilots leave operation to the autopilot system a few minutes after takeoff in the case of passenger planes. After that, it is possible to fly safely except in fog, strong winds, or other poor conditions. The pilot then manually operates the aircraft during landing when there is greater risk. Of course, pilots have the skills to perform all operations manually. However, there are many tasks performed by the pilot other than operating the aircraft such as flight management and drafting flight plans during the flight. Accordingly, it is possible to fly even more safely by entrusting operation to the autopilot system.<h3>Autopilot System Mechanism</h3>Autopilot systems have an aircraft attitude control function (pitch, roll, and yaw; Fig. 4), an altitude and speed control function, and a function to give guidance to the destination.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk0NDY1OTc3Mzk5LWltZzRlbi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Fig. 4: Pitch, roll, and yawOf these functions, the aircraft attitude control and altitude and speed control are performed by the accelerometer, tilt sensor, and other sensors, and the FCC*3, ACC*4, and actuators*5. The sensors detect the attitude, direction, altitude, and speed of the aircraft. The detected signals are then sent to the FCC. The FCC sends the command to operate the actuators to the ACC. The ACC supplies the power required to drive the actuators. Through that, the actuators appropriately operate the ailerons, rudders, elevators, and other rotor blades. Safe flight by the autopilot system is achieved with that.The actuator and rotor blade movements are also normally transmitted to and displayed on the monitors, meters, and other instruments in the cockpit. The pilot can see the operating status of each device and the attitude of the aircraft from the display on the monitors and meters. In addition, autopilot systems comprise multiple systems, as a failure could lead to a major accident. This ensures high reliability.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk0NDY2MDE3MDkxLWltZzUuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">*3: Flight control computer (FCC): The FCC calculates the optimal steering angle according to the flight control law by taking into account the status of each device in the aircraft, the engine propulsion, the airflow, and other factors. It then outputs the signals that determine the degree of movement by the rotor blades (ailerons, rudders, elevators, etc.) to the ACC.*4: Actuator control computer (ACC): The ACC supplies the power required to the actuators that drive the rotor blades according to commands from the FCC.*5: Actuators: Actuators are devices that convert electricity, pressure (oil pressure, air pressure, etc.), heat, magnetism, and other forms of energy into mechanical motions such as rotation, expansion and contraction, and bending. Electric motors, hydraulic pistons, and electromagnetic solenoid devices are examples of actuators.<h2>Electrification of Aircraft Engines and Autopilot System Electronics Technologies</h2>The issue that must be resolved as a top priority for the electrification of aircraft engines is the realization of a long cruising range. One way of extending the cruising range is to increase the amount of energy the aircraft is equipped with by loading more batteries onto it. However, unlike other transportation devices, it is not possible to tolerate an increase in the weight of aircraft by increasing the number of batteries. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the energy density of the batteries. Research and development are already underway in countries around the world to significantly improve the energy density of batteries. There have been reports such as those that say they have reached 450 Wh/kg at the cell level. If a level of about 500 Wh/kg is realized, it will be possible to expect that technology to be used as assist power during the takeoff and ascent of passenger planes with the hybridization of aircraft engines. Moreover, a water cooling system to cool the converters, inverters, and other devices is also a burden in terms of the weight. Accordingly, it is best to adopt an air-cooling system. This means it is necessary to use gallium nitride (GaN) or silicon carbide (SiC), which generate little heat, for semiconductors. Of course, there is also a need for a wide operating temperature range from high to low temperatures and vibration resistance for the electronic parts used in the peripheral circuits.On the other hand, the autopilot system is a bundle of electronics technologies realized by many sensors, computers, and actuators. Therefore, improvements in electronics technologies lead directly to improvements in the functions and safety of the autopilot system. For instance, the FCC transmits electrical signals to the ACC in a fly-by-wire system in which the rotor blades are operated by those electrical signals. If electrical noise enters into these signals, it may cause the actuators to malfunction. For that reason, it is necessary to take measures against that using an optical fiber cable, which is not affected by electrical noise. Furthermore, it is essential to equip the system with a high-precision attitude indicator and an Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS) to realize full autopilot system flight (autonomous flight), including takeoff and landing. These devices require MEMS sensors*6, which provide both high reliability and high performance.In this way, electrical signals and electric power are responsible for many elements relating to flight in electric aircraft. Therefore, it is essential to improve electronics technologies to put electric engines into practical use regardless of their system.*6:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.murata.com/en-eu/products/sensor/library/mems-basic#guide_01" target="_blank">Basic knowledge of MEMS Technology</a><h2>Summary</h2>The advantage of electric aircraft is that they emit far less greenhouse gases than aircraft equipped with conventional jet engines. They are equipped with a flight system suitable for safe operation employing an excellent autopilot system.In addition to improving the aerodynamic characteristics*7 of the aircraft and the efficiency of the power devices, it will also be necessary to do things such as acquiring technologies and knowledge through interaction with a wide range of fields such as aircraft materials and biotechnologies for the aviation industry in each country to advance globally in the field of electric aircraft in the future. The road ahead is by no means an easy one. There is a tendency to think that the realization of electric aircraft is still a long way in the future from the artist&#39;s impressions of such aircraft we can see today. Nevertheless, as we have stated, research and experiments toward the practical use of electric aircraft have already begun.There are many technologies that have already been realized in other fields, including power electronics, high-power motors, and high-energy-density batteries in the field of electronics in particular. It will be possible to divert the use of those technologies to electric aircraft by further improving their performance. All this tells us that there is no doubt that the day is not so far off in the future when we will see environmentally friendly electric aircraft clear stringent safety requirements to be realized both technically and commercially.*7: Aerodynamic characteristics: Examples of aerodynamic characteristics in the case of aircraft include air resistance, the force that pushes up the aircraft, and the air resistance ratio (lift-to-drag ratio). It is possible to lighten the load on the engine and to reduce the amount of fuel consumption by improving these characteristics.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk0NDY2MDQ1Mjg5LWltZzYuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><hr id="isPasted"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1694466244974-1694466244974.png" class="fr-fic fr-dii">If you have any questions based on this article that you would like to discuss with an expert at Murata, don&#39;t hesitate to reach out. There&#39;s an entire team ready to support you with your question.<a href="https://www.murata.com/en-eu/contactform?&Detail=Wevolver%20request" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="button-main-action">GET IN TOUCH</a>

Power electrification and automated driving are being promoted at a remarkable speed for automobiles owing to advances in electronic technologies such as batteries, motors, and power electronics. On the other hand, strict safety requirements are imposed on aircraft engines. Therefore, electrifying them has been considered unfeasible on both a technical and commercial basis, which resulted in efforts in that area being shelved.

Electrification of Aircraft Engines and the Latest Autopilot System Technologies

In this episode, we delve into the remarkable achievement of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) as they successfully execute the maiden flight of their hybrid demonstrator aircraft.

Podcast: Hybrid Takes The Sky With HyBird

It may be a clich&eacute;, but it is a time of unprecedented change in the global aviation, aerospace and space industry. No sooner had the Covid pandemic ended, temporarily grounding air travel, than a high-intensity peer-on-peer war erupted in Eastern Europe with Russia&rsquo;s invasion of Ukraine. Climate action, meanwhile, is now top of the agenda in many places, and the aerospace industry is racing to decarbonise itself &ndash; even as it &nbsp;struggles with supply chain shortages and a skills crisis. Meanwhile, sci-fi dreams of flying taxis, rockets that land vertically, hotels in space and now AI that can hold lengthy conversations with humans are almost here. All of these external factors make for a challenging landscape for today&rsquo;s firms to navigate when deciding on technology and investment priorities. This landmark survey, with an impressive take-up, saw over 1,800 responses from RAeS members, with respondents ticking job roles, such as Engineer (29.48%), Procurement (15.15%), Product Designer/ &nbsp;Development (13.66%), R&amp;D (12.61%), Retired (8.46%), Other (8.08%), IT/Digital (7.47%) and Student (5.09%). In addition, as might be expected for the &lsquo;Other&rsquo; category, this also included a significant number of respondents with &lsquo;pilot&rsquo; in their job title. In terms of seniority, some 27.32% of respondents were in the &lsquo;Middle Management&rsquo; category, while 23.41% described themselves as &lsquo;Experienced&rsquo; and 21.73% as &lsquo;Team Lead&rsquo; level. Let us take a look at some of the key takeaways from this survey.&nbsp;<h2>Key takeaways</h2>Reflecting on the key priorities of the global aerospace industry, recruiting more skilled personnel was chosen as the number one focus by respondents at 52.9%, closely followed by Sustainability (51.6%) and Supply Chain Shortages (50.7%). This tracks closely with the sector-wide skills&rsquo; crisis the aerospace industry now finds itself in, with a combination of demographics and workers not returning after being furloughed or downsized during the pandemic. Meanwhile, the sustainability agenda is also accelerating as the industry races to decarbonise itself. Yet, aerospace is still reeling and attempting to play catch-up with disrupted supply chains that have played havoc with tightly integrated &lsquo;just-in-time&rsquo; global networks. In November 2022, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said he expected &lsquo;supply chain constraints&rsquo; to last another year.The &lsquo;Other&rsquo; (5.59%) category, which allowed respondents to specify additional issues threw up some further challenges and issues, such as &lsquo;inflation and its negative effects on sustainability and growth&rsquo;, &lsquo;regulation changes post-leaving EASA&rsquo;, &lsquo;fuel price increases&rsquo; and a call from one respondent to embrace digitalisation fully: &lsquo;the industry is operating in the past. Most of the leaders in the industry are missing the key lessons regarding AI and automated systems. Nobody is looking at information technology as a key component in aerospace...why?&#39;Meanwhile, the survey found that <a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/cnc-machining/" target="_blank" title="CNC Machining">CNC&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/cnc-machining/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-aerospace-0523&utm_content=wevolver-aerospace-manufacturing-0823" target="_blank" title="CNC Machining">machining</a>&nbsp;(53.85%) was the key prototyping/manufacturing technology in the aerospace sector, followed by <a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/3d-printing/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-aerospace-0523&utm_content=wevolver-aerospace-manufacturing-0823" target="_blank" title="3D Printing">3D printing</a> (51.41%) and then Robotic Manufacturing (44.88%) and <a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/injection-moulding/" target="_blank" title="Injection Moulding">Injection&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/injection-moulding/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-aerospace-0523&utm_content=wevolver-aerospace-manufacturing-0823" target="_blank" title="Injection Moulding">Moulding</a> (41.51%). While the option of CNC machining in grinding, cutting and milling metallic structures as the number one choice is perhaps no surprise for aircraft production, the selection of 3D printing/additive manufacturing by nearly 50% of respondents is more noteworthy. This indicates that 3D printing has now gone mainstream in the aerospace and space industry, passing from a niche &lsquo;rapid prototyping tool&rsquo; to more &nbsp;widespread use. Indeed, earlier this year saw the first-ever fully 3D-printed rocket, Terran 1, attempt to reach orbit.In the &lsquo;Other&rsquo; category at 4.10%, additional suggestions included &lsquo;casting&rsquo;, &lsquo;digital twinning&rsquo; and &lsquo;MBSE (model based system engineering)&rsquo;, as well as several entries suggesting &lsquo;composites and composites moulding&rsquo;.<img border="0" width="478" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkyMDE3NTc1OTAzLTE2OTIwMTc1NzU5MDMuanBlZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" alt="cnc mill operator" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><h3>In-house or outsourced?</h3>Roughly 25-50% of components are manufactured in-house, found the survey, with 39.68% of respondents picking this option, followed by 23.35% indicating a greater vertically integrated in-house capability at 51-75% and 21.35% for more outsourced enterprises &ndash; under 25%. This backs up consolidation trends in the aerospace industry that have seen mergers and acquisitions in recent years concentrate manufacturing in a smaller number of large &lsquo;Tier 1&rsquo; or &lsquo;Super Tier 1&rsquo; suppliers.&nbsp;<h3>The digital skills gap</h3>However, in embracing the possibilities of this new digital manufacturing landscape, the survey highlighted that the aerospace sector could well be falling behind with respondents selecting &lsquo;Lack of expertise&rsquo; as the biggest obstacle &ndash; highlighting a growing need for &lsquo;digital natives&rsquo; and IT specialists in the aerospace industry. Despite its history of being on the cutting-edge of technology, the aerospace industry is now competing with the financial sector, app developers, AI specialists, motorsports and more. Indeed, consultants McKinsey found that, for every traditional engineer the global aerospace and defence (A&amp;D) industry is trying to recruit, it is also trying to recruit two software engineers. Other challenges identified were &lsquo;Project costs&rsquo; &ndash; an admission perhaps that investing in &lsquo;Factory 4.0&rsquo; technology may be initially expensive. Meanwhile, &lsquo;Secure networks/cybersecurity&rsquo; was also highlighted as a concern. This is particularly relevant with the current geostrategic environment and the &lsquo;decoupling&rsquo; of some industries with China and Russia.<img border="0" width="570" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkyMDE3NTc1OTIxLTE2OTIwMTc1NzU5MjEucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="aerospace part design and manufacture" class="fr-fic fr-dii"> The industry as a whole is significantly automated with 29.84% of respondents replying their manufacturing was 51-75% automated, followed closely by the 25-50% segment (28.47%). Interestingly, some 11.29% of respondents chose &lsquo;none&rsquo; as an answer. This could very well indicate sub-sectors in small batch production, artisan-style manufacturing, such as rebuilding WW2 &lsquo;warbirds&rsquo; or assembling custom UAV prototypes.In automated manufacturing, it would also be interesting to revisit this question in a few years time to see the effect of the nascent eVTOL sector on the answers. Here &lsquo;air taxi&rsquo; manufacturers are aiming for automotive-levels of production with Archer and Vertical both planning 2,000 air vehicles a year. This is over double the 661 airliners that Airbus delivered in 2022 and strongly suggests that the level of automation will increase.As might be expected from a highly-regulated industry designing safety-critical equipment and components, &lsquo;quality&rsquo; was the overriding (64%) factor chosen by respondents in designing and manufacturing parts for the aerospace sector. Yet &lsquo;quality&rsquo; is not purely just about safety &ndash; but also flows into overall costs with tightly integrated and complex supply chains, where the discovery of substandard parts or components can cascade further down the production process and disrupt deliveries. Recent examples include the pause in some Boeing 737 MAX deliveries, due to substandard fittings from Spirit AeroSystems.The focus on quality, standards and experts on hand was echoed in the largest (47.47%) &lsquo;very important&rsquo; answer to the question: &lsquo;How important is certification when working with manufacturing partners?&rsquo;&rsquo;&nbsp;<h3>Certification priorities</h3>A free-form poll of the most valuable aerospace certifications to hold produced a wide range of answers &ndash; not all of them manufacturing related. However, despite the UK respondents slightly outnumbering US ones in this survey, the number of people who put &lsquo;FAA&rsquo; as a single answer outnumbered &lsquo;EASA&rsquo; two to one &ndash; potentially a sign of how dominant the US still is in the global aviation regulatory framework and the importance of designing products for this key market.Finally, the top priority for the next three years was again recruiting skills and talent (55.77%), followed by sustainability (52.33%) and ramping up civil production post-Covid (47.56%).This then is a clear message about the immediate skills and recruitment crisis that the industry is facing &ndash; and one that if not solved, then the other two (sustainability/ramping up production) cannot happen. Among the comments in the &lsquo;Other&rsquo; category (4.83%) were &lsquo;Competition with China, Security of Proprietary Data And Technology&rsquo;, &lsquo;Space Exploration and Commercialisation&rsquo; and, interestingly, one suggestion that: &lsquo;a strong PR campaign should be launched to counteract present trends that (falsely) consider aviation a highly polluting industry.&rsquo;&nbsp;<h3>Summary</h3>In conclusion then, this was a landmark survey into the state of the aerospace industry in 2023, providing a significant snapshot of the global aerospace sector as it emerges from the pandemic and attempts to ramp up production, recruit skilled workers and meet sustainability targets. it will be interesting to see what lies ahead for the industry in the future, and good to keep a close eye on how widely digital manufacturing expand through the industry.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1692025170653-Wevovler-Aerospace-Stat-highlights.jpg" style="width: 765px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> <div id="_com_1" language="JavaScript"><a href="#_msoanchor_1" target="_blank"></a></div>

In early 2023, a joint survey from the Royal Aeronautical Society and Protolabs was conducted to learn more about the aerospace sector’s most important concerns and top priorities. Tim Robinson FRAeS examines the results, and provides you with a breakdown.

Aerospace manufacturing in 2023

HyBird is a small, hybrid-electric aircraft concept. Its goal is to serve routes of less than 1000 kilometres and with low passenger volumes in a climate-compatible way. The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum f&uuml;r Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) has now successfully conducted the first flight of a 1:4 scale demonstrator of HyBird at the <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/ux" target="_blank">National Experimental Test Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems</a> in <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/dlr/locations-and-offices/cochstedt" target="_blank">Cochstedt</a>. The concept, which combines two gas turbines, batteries and electrically powered propellers, was originally designed by students as part of the <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/latest/news/2019/03/20190927_dlrnasa-design-challenge-en" target="_blank">NASA/DLR Design Challenge 2019</a> and subsequently further developed by several DLR institutes and facilities in collaboration with Airbus ProtoSpace.&quot;Small aircraft carrying few passengers over comparatively short distances are ideal for bringing sustainable propulsion systems and concepts into widespread use as quickly as possible,&quot; says Markus Fischer, DLR Divisional Board Member for Aeronautics. &quot;With HyBird, DLR is providing an innovative stimulus for climate-compatible connections to remote regions as well as for personalised short-haul air traffic from small airports. I am very pleased that this first demonstration flight has been successful. It will be followed by additional exciting flights and the continued development of this promising concept.&quot;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1691147202828-image-1600-584901812d6d7aa60bde62302bec38f3.jpeg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The new HyBird configuration was flown for the first time during flight tests at the National Experimental Test Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Cochstedt. The concept for the 1:4 scale demonstrator was designed as part of the NASA/DLR Design Challenge 2019. Credit: DLRThe flight tests in Cochstedt saw a new configuration flown for the first time. The current configuration of HyBird consists of a high-wing aircraft with a large propeller at each wingtip and at both tips of the V-tail. A hybrid propulsion system with two gas turbines for power generation and with the possibility to switch off one of the turbines in cruise flight significantly increases the energy efficiency compared to existing aircraft of this size. At cruising speed, in particular, it is possible to achieve a fuel consumption roughly as low as the per passenger, per kilometre energy requirement of a modern electric car. A &#39;battery boost&#39; enables an all-electric take-off. The location and size of the propulsion systems also helps to reduce noise emissions.HyBird is designed to carry five to nine passengers at least 700 to 1000 kilometres. The concept, submitted as part of the NASA/DLR Design Challenge by the winning team of students from the <a href="https://www.uni-stuttgart.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">University of Stuttgart</a>, has resulted in a remotely piloted, instrumented experimental vehicle with a maximum weight of 25 kilograms. &quot;After winning the Design Challenge, things really &#39;took off&#39;,&quot; recalls Project Lead Florian Will from the <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/sl" target="_blank">DLR Institute of System Architectures in Aeronautics</a>. This success was followed by employment at DLR for the simultaneously scientifically in-depth and application-oriented research and implementation of the concept.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1691147186420-image-1600-bb629735563542196d91e9f2e9a67f2f.jpeg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The data collected during HyBird&#39;s first flight will be used to improve the concept. The team from the DLR Institute of System Architectures in Aeronautics is planning another test flight later this year. Credit: DLR&quot;With the first flight, we were able to collect a large amount of valuable data, which are now being used for the improvement of our concept,&quot; Will explains. &quot;This is our strategy; with a demonstrator, you can conduct flight tests at a comparatively early stage. This allows us to gain extensive knowledge and expertise, which in turn flows directly into the design of future aircraft. We are planning another flight with the modified demonstrator before the end of this year.&quot;<hr><h3 id="isPasted">FGAA - Future General Aviation Aircraft</h3>The flight tests with the HyBird demonstrator are integrated into the DLR Future General Aviation Aircraft (FGAA) project. The aim of this project is to design a climate-compatible small aircraft that falls into the CS-23 certification category and to bring this into operation. It was within this context that the project team presented itself at the kick-off of the <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/research-and-transfer/innovation-and-transfer/dlr_startup-factory" target="_blank">DLR_Startup Factory</a>.The FGAA early-stage researcher group is based at the <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/images/institutes-1/small-aircraft-technology-research-facility" target="_blank">DLR Innovation Center for Small Aircraft Technologies</a> in <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/dlr/locations-and-offices/aachen" target="_blank">Aachen</a>. DLR researchers from the institutes of <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/sl" target="_blank">System Architectures in Aeronautics</a> (<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/dlr/locations-and-offices/hamburg" target="_blank">Hamburg</a>), <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/as" target="_blank">Aerodynamics and Flow Technology</a> (<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/dlr/locations-and-offices/goettingen" target="_blank">G&ouml;ttingen</a>) and <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/el" target="_blank">Electrified Aircraft Engines</a> (<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/dlr/locations-and-offices/cottbus" target="_blank">Cottbus</a>) work together in the group. The HyBird demonstrator was constructed by <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/news/2016-03-airbus-creators-airbus-protospace" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Airbus ProtoSpace</a> at the <a href="https://zal.aero/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Center of Applied Aeronautical Research</a> in <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/dlr/locations-and-offices/hamburg" target="_blank">Hamburg</a>.

HyBird is currently a high-wing aircraft with a large propeller at each wingtip and at both tips of the V-tail. The initial concept has now evolved into a remotely piloted, instrumented experimental vehicle with a maximum weight of 25 kilograms. Credit: DLR (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

HyBird is a small, hybrid-electric aircraft concept. Its goal is to serve routes of less than 1000 kilometres and with low passenger volumes in a climate-compatible way. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) has now successfully conducted the first flight of a 1:4 scale demonstrator of HyBird at the National Experimental Test Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Cochstedt.

DLR conducts first flight of HyBird demonstrator

In this episode, we discuss the megawatt electric motor design from MIT that aims to address a critical and unspoken shortcoming regarding the future of electric flight: generating enough thrust.

Podcast: Megawatt Motors For Electric Flight

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/research-and-transfer/research-infrastructure/research-aircraft-fleet/istar-dassault-falcon-2000lx-d-bdlr" target="_blank">In-flight Systems and Technology Airborne Research (ISTAR)</a> aircraft has begun scientific operations. ISTAR flights focus on the flight-mechanical and flight-dynamic characteristics of the modified Dassault Falcon 2000LX. Novel sensors measure how the aircraft behaves during specific flight manoeuvres. The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum f&uuml;r Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) will use the results to further develop ISTAR&rsquo;s digital twin. This will lead to more energy-efficient aircraft designs. The digital twin becomes an exact virtual image of the aircraft in a computer.The flight manoeuvres and ground tests bring together data from novel measurement techniques with state-of-the-art simulation tools. &quot;The digital twin will make virtual flight tests possible in the future,&quot; explains project manager Heiko von Geyr from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/as" target="_blank">DLR Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology</a> in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/dlr/locations-and-offices/braunschweig" target="_blank">Braunschweig</a>. ISTAR should not be limited to testing solely within a flight simulator; instead, it should be possible for the aircraft to undergo realistic testing. The aim of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/as/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-18236/28992_read-76291/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">High-speed inflight validation (HighFly)</a> project is to combine several processes: &quot;This enables us to predict the structural deformation, the airflow and the accelerations at any point on ISTAR at any given time,&quot; explains Geyr. Until the researchers can realistically map the aircraft&rsquo;s behaviour digitally, they have to compare the computational models with measurement results and develop them further. &quot;Only then will we be able to determine whether an aircraft behaves exactly the same on the computer as it does under real conditions.&quot;ISTAR has been taking off from the airport at DLR&rsquo;s Braunschweig site for measurement flights since the end of February 2023. In Braunschweig, the aircraft was modified for scientific purposes and prepared for the project. Almost 400 manoeuvres have been flown so far at different speeds, altitudes and in different environments in a reserved airspace over Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. In the future, researchers will be able to test new aircraft designs digitally at a relatively early stage using a digital twin. This will also enable them to assess whether changes affect the aircraft characteristics and flight behaviour. In addition to virtual flight tests, the researchers are also working towards simulation-based certification in the long term. This could accelerate time-consuming and cost-intensive approval procedures in aeronautics.<h2>HighFly project investigates changes during flight manoeuvres</h2>To measure how the airflow on the wings changes during different flight manoeuvres and how much the wings deform during flight, the researchers attached a dotted foil on the left wing. Up close, some of the dots are round, and some have an elongated shape. Looking through the cameras inside the fuselage pointing at the wing from a certain angle, all the dots appear the same. When the wings bend during flight, the cameras record the change in position of the dots. This is how the local deformation of the wing is determined.Sensors are distributed on and under the right wing. These Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors measure the pressure and temperature distribution with high accuracy and high frequency during the flight tests. &ldquo;The MEMS system is a completely new development within the project and is being used here for the first time in the transonic speed range under real flight conditions,&rdquo; says Geyr. In the transonic range, the aircraft flies slower than the speed of sound, but the airflow around the aerofoil still reaches supersonic speed in places. This results in a very complex flow with compression shocks, which must be reliably detected by the MEMS sensors.In addition, three MEMS sensor surfaces are installed near the flight deck. They measure pressure fluctuations in the thin boundary layers, which are created here by the shape of the aircraft. The DLR Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/dlr/locations-and-offices/goettingen" target="_blank">G&ouml;ttingen</a> developed the MEMS sensor surfaces.<h2>Valuable database</h2>The test pilots fly precisely defined manoeuvres with ISTAR at 11,000, 25,000, 35,000 and 45,000 feet. These correspond to altitudes of 3350, 7620, 10,670 and 13,720 metres. The computers located in the cabin store all the readings. The researchers later compare the treasure trove of data with the results of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/media/videos/2017/video-future-aircraft-engineering-the-numerical-simulation" target="_blank">numerical simulation</a>. Supercomputers, such as DLR&rsquo;s CARO and CARA clusters, are essential for this. &quot;With our measurements, we cover the entire transonic flight range, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved during flight. The combination of measurement techniques makes this database unique and extremely valuable,&quot; explains Geyr.Researchers from the<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/ft" target="_blank">&nbsp;DLR Institute of Flight Systems</a> have also conducted Parameter Identification (PID) flights as part of the HighFly project. This results in a flight dynamic simulation model of ISTAR. This can then be used in a flight simulator such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/research-and-transfer/research-infrastructure/air-vehicle-simulator" target="_blank">Air Vehicle Simulator (AVES)</a>. &ldquo;In this way, we can first test newly developed flight control and assistance systems using the simulator before we test them during flight,&rdquo; says Christian Raab from the DLR Institute of Flight Systems.<h2>Ground tests for the digital twin</h2>On the ground, the researchers from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/ae" target="_blank">DLR Institute of Aeroelasticity</a> conducted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/latest/news/2021/03/20210702_vibrating-research-aircraft" target="_blank">Ground Vibration Test</a> (GVT) and Taxi Vibration Tests (TVT) in the summer of 2021. &quot;The results are relevant far beyond the HighFly project; every modification of ISTAR needs an aeroelastic analysis to demonstrate the operational safety of the modification,&quot; explains Marc B&ouml;swald from the DLR Institute of Aeroelasticity. Aircraft do not have a completely rigid structure. To fly safely, elasticity must therefore be taken into account.During the GVT, ISTAR was supported on jacks and subjected to vibrations. More than 200 additional sensors measured ISTAR&rsquo;s reactions, and these were used to create a model. In the TVT, ISTAR was pulled along the runway. Uneven ground causes vibrations via the landing gear. During the current flights, the researchers also monitored the aeroelastic properties of ISTAR using newly developed methods. In future, these tests could also be carried out using the digital twin.The DLR Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology also measured the airflow to the engines with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/research-and-transfer/research-infrastructure/particle-image-velocimetry-goettingen" target="_blank">Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV)</a> for various thrust settings. The engine inflow influences the aerodynamics of ISTAR. The data obtained has also been made available for the digital twin.

The upgrading of the In-flight Systems and Technology Airborne Research (ISTAR) aircraft will take place in several stages. As an airborne simulator, it is advancing the digitalisation of aeronautics. The research aircraft is based at DLR’s Flight Experiments Facility in Braunschweig, where it is part of the largest civilian research fleet in Europe. Credits: DLR (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

ISTAR flights focus on the flight-mechanical and flight-dynamic characteristics of the modified Dassault Falcon 2000LX. Novel sensors measure how the aircraft behaves during specific flight manoeuvres.

Four hundred flight manoeuvres with ISTAR advance its digital twin

Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) significantly reduce the climate impact of aviation in terms of both its <a href="https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/dossier/electric-flight/climate-impact-air-transport.html" id="isPasted" target="_blank" title="One-third CO2 and two-thirds non-CO2 effects">carbon footprint and other climate impact not related to carbon dioxide</a>. In the future, the targeted use of SAFs in contrail regions can help to rapidly reduce the climate impact of air transport. Flight tests using aircraft powered by 100 percent SAF are to take place again in order to prepare for this transition. In the &#39;VOL avec Carburants Alternatifs Nouveaux&#39; (VOLCAN) and the DLR Neofuels project, an Airbus A321neo will use pure SAF in both engines for the first time. The Falcon 20E research aircraft from the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum f&uuml;r Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) will chase the A321neo and researchers will analyse the emissions and ice crystals in the aircraft&#39;s exhaust plumes. Safran, Dassault Aviation and ONERA are also participating in the project. The research flights will take place from the end of February to the end of March 2023 in specially reserved airspaces off the coast of France.&nbsp;<h2 id="isPasted">A question of condensation</h2>The Airbus A321neo is a modern commercial aircraft equipped with lean-burn engines that enable it to burn kerosene while producing very little soot. &quot;We are particularly interested in how ice crystals form when several orders of magnitude less soot is emitted by the CFM LEAP-1A engines in lean-burn mode,&quot; explains DLR Project Leader Christiane Voigt of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/pa/en/desktopdefault.aspx/" target="_blank" title="External link DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics">DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics</a>. &quot;To do this, we will use the Falcon to conduct emission measurements both in the near field, approximately 100 metres behind the A321neo, as well as in the contrails in the far field at distances of several kilometres.&quot;The researchers are planning approximately 15 joint flights, during which the Falcon 20E will follow the A321neo. Different variants of the sustainable fuel &#39;Hydro-processed Esters and Fatty Acids&#39; (HEFA) will be tested under various modes of engine operation. HEFA is produced from paraffinic hydrocarbons, which are generally derived from used cooking oil and other waste fats, and is free of cyclic hydrocarbons (aromatics) and sulphur. Pure SAFs with no aromatics have several advantages, such as the reduced generation of soot particles during combustion. This can also lead to a reduction in ice crystals that form on the soot. Reducing ice crystals and contrail formation can significantly reduce climate effects, as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/news/2021/02/20210617_significantly-lower-climate-impact-when-using-sustainable-fuels.html" target="_blank" title="Significantly lower climate impact of contrails when using sustainable fuels">DLR has demonstrated together with NASA</a>.<h2>Flight test research stages</h2>DLR conducted extensive flight tests to characterise the emissions of synthetic fuels as early as 2015 with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/news/2021/04/20211129_100-percent-sustainable-fuels-emissions-study-shows-early-promise.html" target="_blank" title="First in-flight 100 percent sustainable-fuels emissions study of passenger jet shows early promise">ECLIF1 campaign</a>. These flight tests were continued in 2018 with the ECLIF2 campaign in collaboration with NASA. During the ECLIF3 campaign 2021 the first emission measurements were conducted during flight tests using 100 percent SAFs on an A350, in collaboration with Airbus and Rolls-Royce.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/stories/2021-10-this-a319neo-is-the-latest-to-test-100-saf" target="_blank" title="External link Airbus Newsroom: This A319neo is the latest to test 100% SAF">first test flights of the VOLCAN project</a> with the use of SAFs from the manufacturer Total Energies in one engine took place in 2021. The emission measurements in the VOLCAN project are complemented by ground measurements in which the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dlr.de/vt/en/" target="_blank" title="External link DLR Institute of Combustion Technology">DLR Institute of Combustion Technology</a> in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/content/en/sites/stuttgart.html" target="_blank" title="Stuttgart">Stuttgart</a> is participating. The Falcon 20E research aircraft is operated by DLR&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/fb/en/desktopdefault.aspx/" target="_blank" title="External link To the DLR Websie of the Flight Experiments">Flight Experiments facility</a> in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/content/en/sites/oberpfaffenhofen.html" target="_blank" title="Oberpfaffenhofen">Oberpfaffenhofen</a>. The aim of the new experiments is to measure the emissions of lean-burn combustion and to investigate resulting contrail formation. One question is whether other particles also lead to the formation of contrails when soot emissions from lean-burn combustion have already been reduced by orders of magnitude.<h2>The goal &ndash; climate-compatible air transport</h2>The goal is to achieve a climate-neutral economy and society by the middle of this century. The European Green Deal requires a comprehensive commitment to research and development in air transport. To this end, DLR has developed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/news/2021/04/20211215_towards-zero-emission-aviation.html" target="_blank" title="Towards zero-emission aviation">aviation strategy</a> that maps out the research path to achieve climate-neutral flight. The goal is highly efficient, climate-friendly aircraft that utilise various new propulsion concepts and sustainable fuels according to their flight range and size. DLR&#39;s whole-system research expertise enables it to adopt the role of virtual manufacturer (virtual OEM) and facilitate an accelerated energy transition in the air transport sector. New technologies and fuels, as well as climate-friendly flight management, are intended to further reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particles by air transport and decouple them from the predicted growth. SAFs, in combination with highly efficient turbofan engines, will play a key role here, particularly for long and medium-haul flights.

View of the Air­bus A321neo from the DLR Fal­con 20E. Credit: DLR (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) significantly reduce the climate impact of aviation in terms of both its carbon footprint and other climate impact not related to carbon dioxide. In the future, the targeted use of SAFs in contrail regions can help to rapidly reduce the climate impact of air transport. Flight tests using aircraft powered by 100 percent SAF are to take place again in order to prepare for this transition.

Emissions and contrail study with 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel

Partners:<a href="https://imr.ie/" target="_blank">Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR)</a>, <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en" target="_blank">Airbus</a>, <a href="https://teg.com/" target="_blank">TEG</a>, <a href="https://robotnik.eu/" target="_blank">Robotnik</a>, <a href="https://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/nitc/" target="_blank">Northern Ireland Technology Centre, Queens University Belfast</a>, <a href="https://hexagon.com/" target="_blank">Hexagon</a>, <a href="https://www.kuka.com/" target="_blank">Kuka Robots</a>, <a href="https://www.mvtec.com/" target="_blank">MVTec</a>, <a href="https://multipix.com/" target="_blank">Multipix Imaging</a>, <a href="https://www.photoneo.com/" target="_blank">Photoneo</a>, <a href="https://www.eurekanetwork.org/" target="_blank">EUREKA</a>, <a href="https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/" target="_blank">Enterprise Ireland</a>, <a href="https://www.cdti.es/" target="_blank">the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology</a>Challenge:MAAS (Measurement Aided Assembly of Large-scale Structures) is a 2-year project funded by <a href="https://www.smarteureka.com/" target="_blank">SMART EUREKA</a> and supported by <a href="https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/" target="_blank">Enterprise Ireland</a> (EI) and <a href="https://www.cdti.es/" target="_blank">the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology</a> (CDTI).The aim of MAAS was to improve the way airplane wings were made by developing an efficient automated solution &ndash; an end-to-end assembly process &ndash; for the manufacturing of aircraft sub-assemblies, with a focus on <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en" target="_blank">Airbus</a>&rsquo;s wing manufacture.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc2MjgzNzUwOTYwLTE2NzYyODM3NTA5NjAucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" width="579" height="327" srcset="https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMR-3-400x226.jpg 400w, https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMR-3-1024x579.jpg 1024w, https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMR-3-768x434.jpg 768w, https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMR-3-424x240.jpg 424w, https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMR-3.jpg 1300w" sizes="(max-width: 579px) 100vw, 579px" class="fr-fic fr-dii">&nbsp;The project included the development of an efficient robotic 3D scanning solution that could scan and inspect full aircraft wings at the high speed with the high accuracy needed to generate digital 3D scans of the aircraft parts for best ﬁt assembly operations. TEG and IMR worked closely to identify, develop, and deliver a novel wing and panel 3D scanning and measurement solution for parts assembly and the manufacture of wings.&nbsp;&ldquo;The grand challenge was to assemble airplane wings,&rdquo; explains Ken Horan, Director of Robotics and Automation at IMR. &ldquo;Within that, the problem in aircraft assembly was the expense of manufacturing due to variability in panels and wing fames resulting in screw hole misalignment or panel to panel step height and gaps out of specification. An automated system that could scan the frame, panels, locate, measure, and identify the best fit panel for a particular section of wing, to provide ease of assembly and screwing, was required.&rdquo;The final goal was to integrate the solution into a prototype robot-assisted assembly line to demonstrate a production cell integrating all the above described processes.Solution:<a href="https://www.photoneo.com/phoxi-3d-scanner" target="_blank">PhoXi 3D Scanner</a>The team developed an end-to-an automated solution for the assembly process of manufacturing airplane wings.This included a robot scanning solution based on the PhoXi 3D Scanner from Photoneo, which was used for 3D scanning and inspection of aircraft wing parts using a mobile collaborative robot platform to enable robot-assisted assembly and quality assurance of the final sub-assembly by 3D scanning techniques.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc2MjgzNzUxMjI0LTE2NzYyODM3NTEyMjQucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" width="679" height="384" srcset="https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMRS-2-400x226.jpg 400w, https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMRS-2-1024x579.jpg 1024w, https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMRS-2-768x434.jpg 768w, https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMRS-2-424x240.jpg 424w, https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMRS-2.jpg 1300w" sizes="(max-width: 679px) 100vw, 679px" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Methodology:<ol><li>The system consisted of a mobile collaborative robot that scanned the wing panel and performed assembly operations</li><li>3D data analysis allowed fast matching of panels with appropriate assembly locations</li><li>The system was able to carry out post assembly scanning for the measurement of gaps and step heights between panels</li></ol>Discussion:The MAAS project finished in late 2021, bringing about real business-to-business opportunities and valuable strategic partnerships between Irish SMEs, their European peers, and Airbus.The implementation of the project outputs is expected to bring significant efficiencies to aircraft wing assembly, including reduced costs in the aircraft assembly operations and improvement of manufacturing processes.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjc2MjgzNzUxMTA2LTE2NzYyODM3NTExMDYucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" alt="" width="678" height="383" srcset="https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMR-1-400x226.jpg 400w, https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMR-1-1024x579.jpg 1024w, https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMR-1-768x434.jpg 768w, https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMR-1-424x240.jpg 424w, https://www.photoneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CS-IMR-1.jpg 1300w" sizes="(max-width: 678px) 100vw, 678px" class="fr-fic fr-dii">The MAAS project was funded by <a href="https://www.smarteureka.com/" target="_blank">SMART EUREKA</a> and supported by <a href="https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/" target="_blank">Enterprise Ireland</a> (EI) and <a href="https://www.cdti.es/" target="_blank">the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology</a> (CDTI).The multinational consortium comprised <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en" target="_blank">Airbus</a>, <a href="https://teg.com/" target="_blank">TEG</a>, <a href="https://imr.ie/pages/maas/" target="_blank">IMR</a> and Spanish robotics experts <a href="https://robotnik.eu/" target="_blank">Robotnik</a>. <a href="https://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/nitc/" target="_blank">Northern Ireland Technology Centre, Queens University Belfast</a> and other European SMEs such as <a href="https://hexagon.com/" target="_blank">Hexagon</a>, <a href="https://www.kuka.com/" target="_blank">Kuka Robots</a>, <a href="https://www.mvtec.com/" target="_blank">MVTec</a>, <a href="https://multipix.com/" target="_blank">Multipix Imaging</a>, and <a href="https://www.photoneo.com/" target="_blank">Photoneo</a> were also involved with supply of hardware and expertise.<a href="https://imr.ie/" target="_blank">Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR)</a> is one of Ireland&rsquo;s leading technology centers with extensive robotics expertise, a founding member of <a href="https://www.smarteureka.com/" target="_blank">SMART EUREKA</a>, holding the vice chair seat on the board.<a href="https://www.eurekanetwork.org/" target="_blank">EUREKA</a> is a European-founded public network for international cooperation in research, development, and innovation, operating in 48 countries. SMART is a EUREKA cluster programme, and offers a framework to bring together SMEs, large companies, and research performing organizations to collaborate on international research projects in advanced manufacturing.<a href="https://teg.com/" target="_blank">TEG</a> is a specialist Irish engineering firm and long-term strategic partner to IMR with metrology expertise in highly regulated environments such as biopharmaceutical facilities. They helped with the project with their EASA approved aviation design and production skills and the use of 3D scanning technologies. TEG benefited from MAAS too as the project provided an ideal opportunity to expand their business opportunities, highlight their capabilities in innovative technologies and their professionalism in project management by engaging in research with a global aerospace leader.<a href="https://www.airbus.com/en" target="_blank">Airbus</a> &ndash; a global pioneer in the aerospace industry, which provided first-class expertise in aircraft manufacturing and assembly.For more reference, check out the <a href="https://imr.ie/pages/maas/" target="_blank">IMR website</a> or <a href="https://horizoneurope.ie/horizon-europe/eureka-project-results-in-partnerships-for-irish-smes-and-airbus" target="_blank">Horizon Europe</a>.Would you like to consult your projects with Photoneo? <a href="https://www.photoneo.com/contact-us/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Contact them here</a>.

Assembly of airplane wing parts using the PhoXi 3D Scanner

The MAAS project team developed a unique, end-to-end solution for the assembly of airplane wing parts, which uses Photoneo 3D vision technology to handle challenges such as screw hole misalignment, panel to panel step height, and gaps out of specification.

End-to-end solution for 3D scanning and assembly of aircraft wings

Decarbonisation of aviation relies on a combination of many incremental steps and outright technological breakthroughs. To succeed, both approaches need to exist inside a collaborative ecosystem. In this spirit, Airbus and two leading European research institutions, DLR and ONERA, are exploring how high-performance computing can improve our understanding of the relationship between aerodynamics and aircraft efficiency.Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) combines applied mathematics, physics and high-performance computing. It is used to understand how air moves over complex shapes and helps aircraft engineers maximise lift and minimise drag in order to make an aircraft as fuel efficient as possible at both low and high speeds.&quot;I always say that CFD is where science meets art. It&#39;s a beautiful thing, a kind of computerised wind tunnel,&quot; says Airbus&#39; Head of Aerodynamics Simon Galpin. Galpin oversees a <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/news/2018-01-a-partnership-for-next-generation-computational-fluid-dynamics" target="_blank" title="External link A partnership for next-generation computational fluid dynamics">partnership</a> that has existed for five years with the <a href="https://www.dlr.de/EN/Home/home_node.html" target="_blank" title="External link German Aerospace Center">German Aerospace Center</a> (Deutsches Zentrum f&uuml;r Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) and the French aerospace lab <a href="https://www.onera.fr/en" target="_blank" title="External link Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA)">ONERA</a> (Office National d&rsquo;Etudes et de Recherches A&eacute;rospatiales) on behalf of Airbus.<h2>&#39;Experts at our fingertips&#39;</h2>DLR and ONERA have collaborated with Airbus for decades. Historically, each organisation worked on separate computer code &ndash; the foundations on which the CFD flow simulation is built. Although the code developed by each organisation was effective in its own right, communication between the different development teams was limited. Gradually, it became clear that the code required collective re-engineering for extreme-scale parallel computing platforms. The renewed partnership addresses that shortfall. &quot;It made sense to combine our efforts,&quot; says Galpin. &quot;We&#39;re developing a new generation CFD code that is &#39;industry-ready&#39; for flow prediction and equally applicable to aircraft, helicopters and space systems.&quot;The signing of the <a href="https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/news/2017/20170621_dlr-agrees-strategic-partnership-with-onera-and-airbus_22913.html" target="_blank" title="DLR agrees strategic partnership with ONERA and Airbus">first agreement in 2017</a> was significant for a field that demands substantial time, resources and investment. &quot;From one day to the next the workforce doubled!&rdquo; recalls ONERA&#39;s Director of Aeronautical Programmes, Philippe Beaumier. &ldquo;We had a team of experts on both sides of the Rhine at our fingertips.&quot;The partners renewed their commitment in late 2022, with the goal of extending the code to current and future Airbus projects, such as <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en/innovation/zero-emission/hydrogen/zeroe" target="_blank" title="External link Airbus ZEROe">ZEROe</a>, <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en/innovation/zero-emission/electric-flight/ecopulse" target="_blank" title="External link EcoPulse™">EcoPulse</a> and <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2022-07-airbus-and-cfm-international-launch-a-flight-test-demonstrator-for" target="_blank" title="External link Airbus and CFM International launch a flight test demonstrator for advanced open fan architecture">Open Fan</a> research. It is already being used to mature test cases previously thought unfeasible due to limited physical representation and computational capacity. Soon these cases could influence propulsion, engine integration and wing technology choices that will determine the blueprints for a new generation of fuel-efficient aircraft.&quot;We want to improve the predictability of performance right from the design phase,&quot; says DLR&#39;s Markus Fischer, Divisional Board Member for Aeronautics. &quot;The new code can also help specialists investigate even more radical design concepts, such as the flying wing, with a degree of speed and accuracy that wasn&rsquo;t within the grasp of previous software.&quot;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1675426395963-versatile-software-for-the-flow-simulation-of-the-future.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Ver&shy;sa&shy;tile soft&shy;ware for the flow sim&shy;u&shy;la&shy;tion of the fu&shy;ture. Credit: Airbus/ONERA/DLR&nbsp;<h2>Every gram of energy counts</h2>&quot;Without unfettered digitalisation to accelerate the pace of innovation, decoupling air traffic growth from emissions cannot be guaranteed,&quot; argues Fischer. DLR shares the vision of zero-emission aviation held by Airbus and ONERA, one which Fischer says will require a disruptive approach. &quot;Decarbonisation calls for a twin revolution,&quot; agrees Beaumier, &quot;one technological and one methodological. Aircraft development cycles need to be halved to realise those ambitions. This is where mature numerical simulation plays a major role.&quot;How does CFD make a net-zero contribution? Galpin answers by pointing out that kerosene substitutes are likely to be more costly. &quot;We better be extracting every gram of energy from every kilogram of alternative fuel, using the most efficient aircraft architecture. Using advanced CFD helps us shave off drag little by little.&quot;<h2>Attracting future aeronautical engineers</h2>Airbus has access to some of the highest-performing extreme-scale computational systems in the world to help develop and validate the code, helping boost engineers&#39; confidence in their predictions. It&#39;s an inspiring and rewarding exercise, Baumier says, with a real-world application: &quot;To directly support the aeronautical industry&#39;s sustainability goals.&quot;The final word goes to Pascal Larrieu, Airbus Computational Simulation Expert and the company&#39;s lead for developing the new flow solver: &quot;This project opens doors to a diverse, dynamic and Europe-wide research network. We are convinced our work will help attract future aeronautics engineers to join us in meeting the zero-emission ambition together.&quot;

Flow sim­u­la­tion of DLR’s IS­TAR re­search air­craft. Credit: DLR (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

Decarbonisation of aviation relies on a combination of many incremental steps and outright technological breakthroughs. To succeed, both approaches need to exist inside a collaborative ecosystem. In this spirit, Airbus and two leading European research institutions, DLR and ONERA, are exploring how high-performance computing can improve our understanding of the relationship between aerodynamics and aircraft efficiency.

Aerodynamics and the art of aircraft design

Contrails are generated as a result of aircraft emissions. They could amplify the greenhouse effect in the form of long-lasting ice clouds. The soot particles from jet fuel combustion act as particularly strong condensation nuclei for cloud formation in the part of the atmosphere where cold air is present. New engine technologies and the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) offer promising approaches to significantly reduce the climate impact of contrails. To this end, the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum f&uuml;r Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) is supporting an <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en/innovation/zero-emission" target="_blank" title="External link Airbus test flight programme">Airbus</a> test flight programme, operated by its subsidiary <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en/innovation/innovation-ecosystem/airbus-upnext" target="_blank" title="External link Airbus UpNext">Airbus UpNext</a>, which is investigating for the first time contrails produced by a carbon dioxide emission-free aircraft that is powered by hydrogen. As part of the Blue Condor project, test flights are planned for the end of 2022 and in 2023 in North Dakota, USA.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1659354260522-measurement-flight-above-the-clouds.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Measurement flight above the clouds. Credit: &copy; AV Experts, LLC. All rights reserved<h2>Engine comparison</h2>Two Arcus gliders operated by the <a href="https://perlanproject.org/" target="_blank" title="External link Perlan Project">Perlan project</a> will be deployed for the test flights, one equipped with a hydrogen jet engine and the other with a conventional kerosene-powered combustion engine. To ensure comparability of the data, the test flights will be carried out in immediate succession under the same meteorological conditions.The respective glider will be towed by an EGRETT, a high-altitude research aircraft, to an altitude of more than nine kilometres. There, the glider will ignite the engine with which it is equipped. The EGRETT, outfitted with measurement instruments, then takes on the role of chaser and flies through the contrail in close formation, which also allows for the emissions from the exhaust plume to be measured.The aim is to measure the microphysical properties of &#39;hydrogen contrails&#39; in the atmosphere for the first time. The data will contribute to a better understanding of the formation of contrails resulting from hydrogen propulsion. In this way, technologies can be developed to modify the properties of the clouds impacting the climate and further mitigate their effect. Airbus is providing the hydrogen system and equipment, including the combustion engine, and is planning the flights of the test mission together with DLR. The <a href="https://www.dlr.de/content/en/institutes/institute-of-atmospheric-physics.html" target="_blank" title="Institute of Atmospheric Physics">DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics</a> is responsible for the measurements and data analysis.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1659354294872-preparing-for-the-blue-condor-measurement-flights.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Preparing for the Blue Condor measurement flights. Credit: &copy; DLR. All rights reserved<h2>Revolutionising future aviation</h2>&quot;DLR is a world leader when it comes to researching aircraft emissions. In order to achieve climate-neutral aviation, research results must be incorporated directly into the development of new products. We are pleased to be able to support Airbus and its subsidiary with this technology transfer,&quot; says Markus Fischer, DLR Divisional Board Member for Aeronautics. Sandra Bour Schaeffer, CEO of Airbus UpNext adds: &quot;The aviation industry is already working hard to reduce all aviation emissions by 2050, and we are proud to have international experts at our side for this next important step.&quot;Hydrogen engines predominantly emit water vapour and nitrogen oxides. Models show that the resulting contrails could have a much smaller effect on the climate. Direct hydrogen combustion does not produce particulate matter. Experts therefore suspect that the ice particles formed tend to be larger and occur in smaller numbers than with soot emissions. As a result, their rainout occurs faster, which means that the contrails are short-lived and contribute only marginally to global warming. However, science has lacked concrete measurement data on these complex atmospheric processes so far.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1659354310881-group-photo-of-the-blue-condor-project-team.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Group photo of the Blue Condor project team. Credit: &copy; AV Experts, LLC. All rights reservedIf the assumptions based on models can thus be confirmed, hydrogen combustion could revolutionise aviation of the future. This is precisely why measurements at cruising altitudes are necessary because it is not clear whether the models cover all relevant processes. Hydrogen combustion also offers significant reduction potential because it does not lead to carbon dioxide emissions. Only the increased emission of water vapour into the stratosphere could counteract the mitigating climate effect of these contrails and must be taken into account in the analyses. The &lsquo;Blue Condor measurement flights&rsquo; will provide fundamental data that will allow reliable statements on contrails to be issued for the first time.The atmospheric researchers at Oberpfaffenhofen are using tried and tested instruments as well as instruments that were developed specifically for the mission. In particular, water vapour and ice particles as well as nitrogen oxides and aerosols are to be measured during the flight. The DLR project group H2CONTRAIL is leading from the DLR side and supplementing the measurements with targeted simulations to investigate the climate impact of contrails from hydrogen-fueled engines.<h2>Research and industry united</h2>The cooperation between research and industry goes far beyond the Blue Condor project. Airbus, DLR and the other stakeholders are active in several demonstration programmes, including ECLIF2, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-021-00174-y" target="_blank" title="External link NATURE Communications Earth and Environment Paper Ausgabe 17.06.2021">ECLIF3 (Emission and Climate Impact of Alternative Fuels)</a> and VOLCAN (VOL avec Carburants Alternatifs Nouveaux). The common goal is to gain more precise insights into the climate benefits of contrails resulting from sustainable fuels and modern engine technologies. The Blue Condor project serves to complement these programmes. DLR is thus also supporting Airbus&#39; efforts to develop an emission-free aircraft by 2035. This is in line with the aviation strategy set out by DLR in December 2021 for the European Green Deal: &#39;<a href="https://www.dlr.de/content/en/downloads/publications/brochures/2021/towards-zero-emission-aviation.html" target="_blank" title="Brochure: Towards zero-emission aviation (2021)">Towards zero-emission aviation</a>&#39;.

DLR supports new test flight programme by Airbus and its subsidiary Airbus UpNext for CO2-emission-free flight. The 'Blue Condor' project investigates the effects of contrails from hydrogen engines.