Periodic Reporting for period 1 - STEPLESS (Stepless High-Lift Configurations for Optimised Aircraft Energy Management in the TMA)
Berichtszeitraum: 2024-09-01 bis 2025-08-31
STEPLESS aims to minimise the flight environmental footprint during final approach under operations with conventional and increased glideslope angles (IGS). IGS is intended to reduce the noise perception on ground by a higher flight altitude. Steeper approach angles however, also reduce the aircraft's capability to decelerate to final approach speed. Therefore, the risk occurs that pilots are forced to configure the aircraft too early, which can have deteriorating effects on noise and fuel consumption. The proposed solution of the STEPLESS project dynamically optimises the intermediate settings of the high-lift system in order to better adapt the aircraft's glide performance to the prevailing approach conditions, such as wind, aircraft mass or ATC constraints. Through this, the pilot can better manage the aircraft's energy, follow speed assignments by ATC and fly as energy-optimal as possible even with increased glideslope angles. Hence, the proposed solution enables the increase of the glideslope angle for the sake of the reduction of the noise perception on ground but by avoiding deteriorating effects on fuel consumption because of non-optimal high-lift configurations.
STEPLESS aims to make significant contributions at two levels: (i) at an aircraft level by introducing a novel stepless and automatic high-lift system, that can adapt better the aircraft performance to the current flight conditions than today’s high-lift systems with just a few fixed settings, and (ii) at an ATM level by giving pilots the ability to better follow instructions from ATC.
In order to achieve these contributions, the high-level objectives below have been defined. In detail, the objectives and the project’s progress to achieve them are the following:
Objective 1: understand the principles of stepless aircraft configurations on the aircraft’s capability to capture and fly steeper glidepath angles in an energy-efficient way.
Work towards achieving this objective:
In the reporting period the project came a big step closer to achieving this objective. Together with the consortium, SkyLab has developed several use cases to ensure the operational relevance of the solution being developed. To this end, a series of workshops have been conducted. DLR has analysed flight performance of stepless high-lift systems, considering conventional and increased glideslope angels, and developed the optimisation algorithms of the STEPLESS Solution. These algorithms are the core of the STEPLESS system that is to be developed. The developed system is now, at the end of the reporting period, ready for integration in the aircraft simulation framework.
Objective 2: provide evidence of the environmental benefits, namely CO2 emission and noise reduction.
Work towards achieving this objective:
Some general considerations on fuel burn and noise emission have been made during the system design, that has been performed in the reporting period. However, the evaluation of the environmental benefit will be performed in the next reporting period. SkyLab conducted an early study on a flight simulator to assess the potential fuel-saving benefits of performing descents with delayed flap extension compared to current operating methods.
Objective 3: assess the better adaptation of the aircraft capabilities to the ATM operations in TMAs.
Work towards achieving this objective:
As a prerequisite to the fast-time-simulations DLR developed an aircraft performance simulation tool that is able to represent the aircraft behaviour of an aircraft equipped with the STEPLESS system. NLR has integrated this simulation model provided by DLR into the ATM simulation tool Traffic Manager TMX, with which the assessment of ATM operations is to be performed. The very assessment, however, will be performed in the next reporting period. As another prerequisite the test scenarios for the ATM simulation have been defined by UPC together with the project partners.
Objective 4: assess the impact of stepless high-lift aircraft operations on ATM.
Work towards achieving this objective:
Work on this objective is planned for the next reporting period.
Objective 5: assess the impact of operations with stepless high-lift configurations on the human performance of pilots and required interfaces.
Work towards achieving this objective:
The piloted simulator trials will be conducted in the next reporting period.
Objective 6: assess the impact of operations with stepless high-lift configurations on aircraft airworthiness.
Work towards achieving this objective:
In the reporting period NLR performed a survey on relevant certification aspect and compiled a draft report. This report will be handed over to EASA for review in the next reporting period. As a prerequisite for this DLR has negotiated the service contract with EASA in the present reporting period.
Objective 7: assess the impact of operations with stepless high-lift configurations on departure- and go-around flight phases.
Work towards achieving this objective:
The piloted simulator trials will be conducted in the next reporting period. Nevertheless, as a prerequisite, go-around has been considered during the STEPLESS system design in the present reporting period as a relevant use case.
Objective 8: create the conditions for the transfer of the project results to the subsequent stages of the R&I cycle by outlining a new SESAR Solution.
Work towards achieving this objective:
This objective can only be achieved in the next reporting period. However, the maturity assessment for the upcoming mid-term review has been prepared at the end of the present reporting period.
In order to achieve these contributions, the high-level objectives below have been defined. In detail, the objectives and the project’s progress to achieve them are the following:
Objective 1: understand the principles of stepless aircraft configurations on the aircraft’s capability to capture and fly steeper glidepath angles in an energy-efficient way.
Work towards achieving this objective:
In the reporting period the project came a big step closer to achieving this objective. Together with the consortium, SkyLab has developed several use cases to ensure the operational relevance of the solution being developed. To this end, a series of workshops have been conducted. DLR has analysed flight performance of stepless high-lift systems, considering conventional and increased glideslope angels, and developed the optimisation algorithms of the STEPLESS Solution. These algorithms are the core of the STEPLESS system that is to be developed. The developed system is now, at the end of the reporting period, ready for integration in the aircraft simulation framework.
Objective 2: provide evidence of the environmental benefits, namely CO2 emission and noise reduction.
Work towards achieving this objective:
Some general considerations on fuel burn and noise emission have been made during the system design, that has been performed in the reporting period. However, the evaluation of the environmental benefit will be performed in the next reporting period. SkyLab conducted an early study on a flight simulator to assess the potential fuel-saving benefits of performing descents with delayed flap extension compared to current operating methods.
Objective 3: assess the better adaptation of the aircraft capabilities to the ATM operations in TMAs.
Work towards achieving this objective:
As a prerequisite to the fast-time-simulations DLR developed an aircraft performance simulation tool that is able to represent the aircraft behaviour of an aircraft equipped with the STEPLESS system. NLR has integrated this simulation model provided by DLR into the ATM simulation tool Traffic Manager TMX, with which the assessment of ATM operations is to be performed. The very assessment, however, will be performed in the next reporting period. As another prerequisite the test scenarios for the ATM simulation have been defined by UPC together with the project partners.
Objective 4: assess the impact of stepless high-lift aircraft operations on ATM.
Work towards achieving this objective:
Work on this objective is planned for the next reporting period.
Objective 5: assess the impact of operations with stepless high-lift configurations on the human performance of pilots and required interfaces.
Work towards achieving this objective:
The piloted simulator trials will be conducted in the next reporting period.
Objective 6: assess the impact of operations with stepless high-lift configurations on aircraft airworthiness.
Work towards achieving this objective:
In the reporting period NLR performed a survey on relevant certification aspect and compiled a draft report. This report will be handed over to EASA for review in the next reporting period. As a prerequisite for this DLR has negotiated the service contract with EASA in the present reporting period.
Objective 7: assess the impact of operations with stepless high-lift configurations on departure- and go-around flight phases.
Work towards achieving this objective:
The piloted simulator trials will be conducted in the next reporting period. Nevertheless, as a prerequisite, go-around has been considered during the STEPLESS system design in the present reporting period as a relevant use case.
Objective 8: create the conditions for the transfer of the project results to the subsequent stages of the R&I cycle by outlining a new SESAR Solution.
Work towards achieving this objective:
This objective can only be achieved in the next reporting period. However, the maturity assessment for the upcoming mid-term review has been prepared at the end of the present reporting period.
STEPLESS aims to transform aircraft approach Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) by introducing a novel high-lift system designed to optimise aircraft energy management. This innovative approach allows stepless adjustments of the deflections of the aircraft high-lift configuration system for slats, flaps and possibly speed brakes during descent and approach, allowing dynamic adaptation to the flight phases. STEPLESS addresses both conventional and increased glideslope angles (IGS).
STEPLESS develops one SESAR solution called “Enhanced aircraft performance from stepless high-lift system” (0507) with DLR as solution lead.
STEPLESS will start at a TRL of 0 and aims at a TRL 2 by the end of the project.
STEPLESS develops one SESAR solution called “Enhanced aircraft performance from stepless high-lift system” (0507) with DLR as solution lead.
STEPLESS will start at a TRL of 0 and aims at a TRL 2 by the end of the project.