Towards a silent and ultra-low local air pollution aircraft

LAQ and noise aviation emissions effect the quality of life and health. Air pollution is the number one environmental cause of premature death in the European Union. Despite progress in recent decades, it still causes more than 400,000 premature deaths every year, and it brings respiratory and cardiovascular diseases to millions.

While the aviation contribution is estimated to 0.4% of the total deaths attributed annually to global air quality degradation, aviation has a substantial impact on local air pollution around airport areas and efforts are ongoing to reduce it further. Aircraft noise remains a matter of concerns for airports and local authorities despite significant improvements, due to anticipated increase of total number of flights in Europe (could reach 12.8 million by 2035 – despite the present COVID-19 disruption).

Regarding the reduction of local air quality (LAQ) from NOx and particulate matter (PM), the selected technologies may consider sustainable drop-in and non-drop-in fuel options, aligned with EU industrial roadmaps and R&I activities in topic HORIZON-CL5-2021-D5-01-05.

Regarding the reductions of aviation noise around airports, the selected technologies should consider propulsion and aircraft-propulsion integration interdependencies as well as operational air-traffic management procedures.

This topic aims to support the EU and ICAO LAQ and noise policies. This topic aims for new aircraft and engine technologies that satisfy the design and operational interdependencies between CO₂, non-CO₂ and noise emissions, are compatible with approved operational procedures and are aligned with the European industrial roadmaps for further development, validation and integration beyond 2030.