Novel methods for clean and green rotorcraft
Scheduled to reach the market in the 2020s, tilt rotors have the potential to cruise at altitudes similar to fixed-wing aircraft with the advantage that they can take off and land in small spaces. Their successful adoption in mainstream transport relies on reducing their environmental impact and in ensuring their safe integration with conventional ATC. Integration will also require advanced navigation and piloting support tools to ensure pilots are not overtaxed in terms of concentration and tasks. The EU-funded TRAVEL (Tilt rotor ATM integrated validation of environmental low noise procedures) project developed a simulation platform to investigate all the angles, including aircraft design, noise and ATC requirements. The platform includes a full-scale tilt rotor and an ATC simulator with which it communicates via a remote internet connection. Project partners used the simulation platform to define and validate new low-noise tilt rotor procedures for approach, landing and takeoff. They assessed the effect of the tiltrotor on Air Traffic Control (ATC) operations and analysed ATC and pilot workloads, situational awareness and acceptance of the tilt rotor procedure. These procedures will ease rotorcraft access to airports, particularly main hubs. The novel techniques are in line with Europe's future air traffic management (ATM) system that must safely and efficiently accommodate all types of aircraft and rotorcraft demands. In addition, the ATM system has to assist all airspace users through an entire flight, from pre-departure operations to arrival at the stand. TRAVEL contributed to Clean Sky's aim of developing and testing new flight procedures for both helicopters and tilt rotors that will ultimately reduce emissions and noise. European citizens stand to benefit from safer, more efficient and flexible transport options.
