Hybrid Electric Regional Wing Integration Novel Green Technologies - HERWINGT

Project Information

HERWINGT

Grant agreement ID: 101102010

DOI

10.3030/101102010

EC signature date 9 December 2022

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 31 October 2026

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 28 278 745,23

EU contribution

€ 21 791 729,98

Coordinated by

AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 4 - HERWINGT (Hybrid Electric Regional Wing Integration Novel Green Technologies - HERWINGT)

Reporting period: 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The aim of HERWINGT project is to design an innovative wing suitable for the future Hybrid-Electric Regional (HER) aircraft that will contribute to the overall target to reduce fuel burn, CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, by improving aerodynamic efficiency and reducing weight and will integrate hybrid-electric propulsion systems and other typical wing mounted systems.
The HERWINGT project will validate, down select, mature and demonstrate the concept, architecture, design and the key technologies that enable addressing an innovative wing design for a Hybrid Electric Regional aircraft (HER) with a maximum capacity of 100 seats and a range of 500 to 1000nm.
These challenges are translated into the following top-level objectives:
Objective 1: Deliver an innovative wing design for a hybrid-electrical regional aircraft (HERA)
Objective 2: Demonstrate a minimum fuel reduction of 15% attributable to wing improvements.
Objective 3: Demonstrate a structural weight reduction of at least 20% when compared to a 2022 SoA wing.
Objective 4: Analyze reduction potential in C02 and all other relevant GHG emissions.
Objective 5: Develop and demonstrate new technologies to increase aerodynamic performance.
Objective 6: Develop and demonstrate new technologies to increase structural performance and weight reduction.
Objective 7: Develop and demonstrate new technologies to increase aeroelastic performance.
Objective 8: Develop and demonstrate new technologies to achieve more integrated structural design.
Objective 9: Develop and demonstrate new technologies to improve Structural Health Monitoring (SHMS) and permit to increase design allowables.
Objective 10: Develop and demonstrate new technologies to improve wing systems efficiency.
Objective 11: Develop and demonstrate new technologies to improve wing systems integration with structure.
Objective 12: Develop and demonstrate new technologies to achieve more precise manufacturing/ assembly processes.
Objective 13: Develop and demonstrate new technologies to achieve greener manufacturing processes.
Objective 14: Deliver a roadmap towards wing full-scale demonstration at TRL 6 at aircraft level with a first flight not later than 2030.
Objective 15: Propose a qualification and certification plan linked to the proposed activities and suitable for Hybrid-Electric Regional (HER) aircraft.
Objective 16: Deliver digital twins and a life cycle assessment of the components, subsystems and full wing system compatible with the reference aircraft digital framework and requirements.
Deliver digital twins and a life cycle assessment of the components, subsystems and full wing system compatible with the reference aircraft digital framework and requirements.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Wing concepts and architecture:

Three wing concept configurations have been analysed and evaluated in the first part of the project: Strut Braced high aspect ratio Wing (SBW), Cantilever high aspect ratio wing (CNT) and Distributed propulsion wing.

In 2025 an amendment of the Grant Agreement was prepared in order to align the activities to the new Ultra Efficient Regional Aircraft (UERA) use case. This configuration corresponds to a twin-engine cantilever wing and is being developed in parallel with the distributed propulsion cantilever wing (DPW).

The wing model v1 of the DPW wing is already finished. Additionally, an aspect ratio trade-off is on-going and will be reported in the wing model v2.


Demonstrators:

Manufacturing activities are running at full pace. Multiple components of the different demonstrators are already available and, in some cases, the demonstrators are already fully assembled and being instrumented to start the testing phase:

Different components of the flap demonstrator have been already manufactured and the demonstrators for the integrated fuel vent system are completed.

Structural health monitoring system has been installed in the thermoplastic in-situ consolidated shear panel.

Manufacturing and installation of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Integration test bench is completed.

Final assembly and laboratory test of the complete servo-actuated morphing aileron on a fixed rig is completed


Technology maturation:

The majority of technologies have passed Technical Readiness Level TRL4 in 2025.

Related to wing anti-ice protection, only the resistive ice protection system tests were successful in the wind tunnel. A new test campaign is being prepared to test again the induction ice protection system in 2026.

Impact detection Structural Health Monitoring achieved TRL5 in 2025.

Thermoplastic in-situ consolidation outer wing lower cover and liquid resin infusion centre wing upper cover have been successfully manufactured thus demonstrating the maturity of both technologies.


Results assessment:

In terms of Ecodesign, the preliminary Life Cycle Assessment prepared in 2024 is being completed with the data obtained during the manufacturing of the demonstrators and the Final Version of the assessment is planned for the end of September 2026.

Impact Monitoring yearly report has been approved by the Project Officer.

Structural Health Monitoring, Leading Edge (LE) Technologies, Liquid Resin Infusion (LRI) Integrated Primary Structure, Ice Protection System and Integrated Fuel Vent System technologies have been presented to EASA. The written feedback received from EASA has been used to populate the Certification Roadmap for Structural Health Monitoring, LE Technologies and LRI Integrated Primary Structure.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

HERWINGT’s challenge is to deliver a novel wing design for the future hybrid-electric regional aircraft (HER) that will contribute to the overall target to reduce fuel burn in at least 50% at aircraft level, CO2 and other GHG emissions.

For this, the novel wing will target a fuel reduction at integrated wing level of at least 15% and a structure weight reduction at full wing level of at least 20%.

Preliminary test results show that some of the technologies, if considered standalone, can obtain better benefits than the committed goals. On the other hand, the challengel at this stage is to combine the novel technologies into an optimized and integrated wing.

This is well beyond the state-of-the-art not only compared to existing wings operating in the market but also beyond many of the research demonstrators planned in EC and abroad.