Periodic Reporting for period 3 - GAM-2020-SAT (Small Air Transport (SAT) - GAM 2020)
Reporting period: 2022-01-01 to 2022-12-31
Today, there is a need to improve European mobility in remote areas using small aircraft. These mobility needs must be obtained reducing environmental impact, paving the way of aviation decarbonitation on short range routes. Today, there is no available solution matching mobility needs and environmental goals at affordable costs (FlightPath 2050 ""d2d 4h"" challenge, whereby "90% of travellers within Europe are able to complete their journey, door-to-door within 4 hours").
The Small Air Transport (SAT) Initiative proposed in Clean Sky 2 represents the Research & Development (R&D), interests of European Manufacturers to develop green technologies for future affordable small aircraft (both passenger and cargo use), belonging to European Aviation Safety Agency Certification Specifications-23 (EASA´s CS-23) regulatory base. This initiative includes dozens of Industrial Companies (including Small Medium Enterprises), Research Centres and Universities, covering the full supply chain (aircraft integrators, engine and systems manufacturers, research organizations).
SAT activities in 2022 focused on:
1) Integrated latest technologies assessment and their principle effects on the Green 19 seats a/c (aircraft), with expected benefits with respect to the Reference a/c.
2) Conceptual studies for the E-STOL Electric-Hybrid Short Take-Off and Landing 19-seats commuter a/c configuration Entry Into Service 2032 (EIS2032) targeting an additional 30% reduction in CO2 and NOX emissions versus Green 19-seats Entry Into Service 2025 (EIS2025) platform on typical mission 200NM
3) CDR (Critical Design Review), assuring that SAT D1and D2 demonstrator can proceed into system fabrication, integration, and test, meeting stated functional requirements within cost (budget), schedule, and other constraints.
4) SAT D3 Flight test campaign preparation
The Small Air Transport (SAT) Initiative proposed in Clean Sky 2 represents the Research & Development (R&D), interests of European Manufacturers to develop green technologies for future affordable small aircraft (both passenger and cargo use), belonging to European Aviation Safety Agency Certification Specifications-23 (EASA´s CS-23) regulatory base. This initiative includes dozens of Industrial Companies (including Small Medium Enterprises), Research Centres and Universities, covering the full supply chain (aircraft integrators, engine and systems manufacturers, research organizations).
SAT activities in 2022 focused on:
1) Integrated latest technologies assessment and their principle effects on the Green 19 seats a/c (aircraft), with expected benefits with respect to the Reference a/c.
2) Conceptual studies for the E-STOL Electric-Hybrid Short Take-Off and Landing 19-seats commuter a/c configuration Entry Into Service 2032 (EIS2032) targeting an additional 30% reduction in CO2 and NOX emissions versus Green 19-seats Entry Into Service 2025 (EIS2025) platform on typical mission 200NM
3) CDR (Critical Design Review), assuring that SAT D1and D2 demonstrator can proceed into system fabrication, integration, and test, meeting stated functional requirements within cost (budget), schedule, and other constraints.
4) SAT D3 Flight test campaign preparation
The following key steps were made during 2022:
• Management and coordination activities of SAT studies, interface with other SAT-related activities performed within other Integrated Technology Demonstrators (Airframe, Engine, and Systems), and support to Technology Evaluator (TE) analyses.
Relevant Dissemination actions have been completed with the participation in the 12th EASN Conference on “Innovation in Aviation & Space for Opening New Horizon” (October, 18-21, 2022) and GPPS Global Power & Propulsion System Zurich (June, 22 2022) . For this configuration,both 19 seat Green Turboprop and E-STOL Hybrid Electric final data have been sent to TE for the second assessment . Results show that the original targets (-20% CO2 and NOX emissions for the design mission at 230 KTAS, 800 nm range) are met for Green Turboprop with further improve emission figure (-30% CO2 and 45% vs green TP ) for the E-STOL Hybrid Electric.
• Demonstrators progress:
o SAT D1 "Aircraft Level 0" Critical Design Review finalized and all relevant procurement launched.
o SAT D2 "Smart wing with Structural Health Monitoring" Critical Design Review finalized and relative report issued.
o SAT D3 "Safe and comfortable cabin amd avionic ” preparation of flight test campaign.
• Management and coordination activities of SAT studies, interface with other SAT-related activities performed within other Integrated Technology Demonstrators (Airframe, Engine, and Systems), and support to Technology Evaluator (TE) analyses.
Relevant Dissemination actions have been completed with the participation in the 12th EASN Conference on “Innovation in Aviation & Space for Opening New Horizon” (October, 18-21, 2022) and GPPS Global Power & Propulsion System Zurich (June, 22 2022) . For this configuration,both 19 seat Green Turboprop and E-STOL Hybrid Electric final data have been sent to TE for the second assessment . Results show that the original targets (-20% CO2 and NOX emissions for the design mission at 230 KTAS, 800 nm range) are met for Green Turboprop with further improve emission figure (-30% CO2 and 45% vs green TP ) for the E-STOL Hybrid Electric.
• Demonstrators progress:
o SAT D1 "Aircraft Level 0" Critical Design Review finalized and all relevant procurement launched.
o SAT D2 "Smart wing with Structural Health Monitoring" Critical Design Review finalized and relative report issued.
o SAT D3 "Safe and comfortable cabin amd avionic ” preparation of flight test campaign.
SAT TA addresses market innovations to reduce small aircraft operational cost and environmental impact, ensuring good levels of operational safety, to revitalize European market in the small commuter category.
In particular, the following Beyond State-of-the-Art technologies are addressed:
1) Low cost composite wing box and engine nacelle using Out of Autoclave (OoA) technology, Liquid Resin Infusion (LRI) and advance automation process.
2) Innovative high lift device (blowing flap), able to allow aircraft operations from short airfields (<600m).
3) Affordable small aircraft manufacturing of metallic fuselage by means of Friction Stir Welding (FSW) and Laser Metal Deposition (LMD).
4) Affordable fly-by-wire architecture for small aircraft (CS23 certification rules).
5) More electric systems replacing pneumatic and hydraulic aircraft systems (high voltage Electrical Power Generation and Distribution System, hybrid de-ice system, landing gears and brakes).
6) Advanced avionics for small aircraft, to reduce pilot workload, paving single pilot operations for 19 seats.
7) Advanced cabin comfort with new interiors materials and more comfortable seats.
8) New generation of turboprop engine with reduced fuel consumption, emissions, noise and maintenance costs for 19 seats aircraft.
The preliminary integration of the abovementioned technologies into the Green Loop 2 aircraft configuration shows that original Clean Sky 2 targets in terms of both CO2 and NOX emission reduction are matched for the design mission (800 nm, 230 KTAS) are met, paving the way to the introduction of an affordable and green small European commuter in 2025.
In particular, the following Beyond State-of-the-Art technologies are addressed:
1) Low cost composite wing box and engine nacelle using Out of Autoclave (OoA) technology, Liquid Resin Infusion (LRI) and advance automation process.
2) Innovative high lift device (blowing flap), able to allow aircraft operations from short airfields (<600m).
3) Affordable small aircraft manufacturing of metallic fuselage by means of Friction Stir Welding (FSW) and Laser Metal Deposition (LMD).
4) Affordable fly-by-wire architecture for small aircraft (CS23 certification rules).
5) More electric systems replacing pneumatic and hydraulic aircraft systems (high voltage Electrical Power Generation and Distribution System, hybrid de-ice system, landing gears and brakes).
6) Advanced avionics for small aircraft, to reduce pilot workload, paving single pilot operations for 19 seats.
7) Advanced cabin comfort with new interiors materials and more comfortable seats.
8) New generation of turboprop engine with reduced fuel consumption, emissions, noise and maintenance costs for 19 seats aircraft.
The preliminary integration of the abovementioned technologies into the Green Loop 2 aircraft configuration shows that original Clean Sky 2 targets in terms of both CO2 and NOX emission reduction are matched for the design mission (800 nm, 230 KTAS) are met, paving the way to the introduction of an affordable and green small European commuter in 2025.