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.