CORDIS Archive

The Views of the Aeronautical Research Establishments on THE FIFTH RTD - FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME

4. AEREA View on Aeronautical issues in 5th Framework Programme - 1

In order to assess the key technology issues to be addressed in the next Framework Programme, AEREA analysed the market requirements for each sector.

New commercial aircraft have to comply with market requirements, in terms of:

• Short time to market : determined by the availability of first time right design tools.
• Fleet commonality : design for family concepts and cockpit commonalities.
• Passenger comfort : in terms of cabin environment, passenger access, luggage handling and ride qualities.
• increased safety : including all weather operations, new GPWS, TCAS, crash survivability, and a better understanding of human factors.
• environmental sustainability : reduced engine-, landing gear- and airframe noise, quiet rotorcraft and low emission engines and procedures.

The market requires more efficient engines through better aerodynamic and thermal design of turbomachinery, UHBR engines and propfans. New small regional aircraft types require advanced propellers to increase speed and thus productivity.

The future supersonic aircraft will require variable or dual cycle engines in order to meet the conflicting requirements of low noise during take-off and landing, sufficient installed thrust to sustain a cruise Mach number of 2 and low fuel consumption at both sub- and supersonic speeds.

New propulsion systems have to produce less noise and lower emissions for example (NOx and CO₂) to meet future requirements. Lightweight, high performance engines using ultra low NOx-combustor concepts will be needed.

The industry covers a broad range of products. Market requirements will dictate integrated modular avionic systems that have a large commonality bases, low cost and reduced electrical power consumption, weight, volume and increased reliability. Automation is essential for the efficiency of the aircraft , like new flight- and engine control systems, for efficient flight operations like new flight management- and performance systems, and for advanced sensor and warning systems like proactive ground proximity warning systems, proactive wind shear-, weather-, wake vortices- and clear air turbulence alerting and guidance systems, as well as traffic alert and collision avoidance systems. Automation has to interface with human operators . Human factor research should not only cover the cognitive engineering aspects of the man-machine interface, but should also address training and selection of crews and controllers, involving advanced flight- and ATM simulator technologies .

The European industry should be able to capture a major share in the future ATM systems market and the related airborne avionic systems .

New developments in the equipment and sub-systems industry should be supported by RTD at European level. Issues relate to the development of advanced landing gear (especially in view of the very large aircraft and the allowed pavement loading), crash survivable structures and seats , the total cabin environment and advanced, automated (on-board) maintenance and inspection systems .

The design of modern aircraft, engines and equipment requires a multi disciplinary approach . This requirement affects the direction of research and technology development and requires multi-disciplinary simulation to validate new technology and to demonstrate the feasibility of preferred technical solutions.

The application of information technology techniques, like digital simulation and concurrent engineering , are of prime concern to the industries and research establishments. In the short term, the emphasis should be on establishing a European wide, multi-function, multi-organization operation in both areas.

In the longer term, access to the research establishment's virtual information base should be established through a networked environment using integrated data bases with standardized user interfaces.

In order to satisfy the requirement of the airframe-, engine- and equipment industry, a substantial knowledge base is needed in Europe. The Programme Committee of AEREA has identified in its

⁽¹¹⁾ the key technologies that should be incorporated in the next Framework programme. In this analysis AEREA members concentrated on those issues, in which AEREA can make a major contribution. A copy of the AEREA LTTP is enclosed with this document.

Demonstration of the applicability of new technology in future civil projects has in recent years not been given the priority, which such activities deserve. In that respect the US is in a much better position.

The European aeronautical industry and the research establishments have advocated to start large scale demonstration efforts as soon as possible.

AEREA is in a good position to assist the airframe-, engine- and equipment industry to conduct large scale demonstrations in a cost-effective way. The research establishments already have the equipment and facilities available for most of the European demonstration efforts envisaged. These range from laboratory aircraft and helicopters , for example for demonstration of new control-, avionics- and flight management systems, noise reductions and new aerodynamic devices, engine test rigs, large structural test sites, large acoustic test facilities, flight simulators for new flight deck development, ATC simulators, EMI facilities, large scale crash facilities to computer networks and IT-knowledge for concurrent engineering efforts.

11. For a detailed analysis of technological issues, see AEREA's LTTP, revised edition March 1996