Airframe ITD is addressing the full range of aircraft types and is structured around three major Activity lines split into technology Streams or Work Packages: High Performance & Energy Efficiency (HPE), High Versatility & Cost Efficiency (HVC), and Eco-Design (ECO).
High Performance & Energy Efficiency (HPE)
Under this activity line, innovative aircraft architectures are investigated which the aim to demonstrate the viability of some of the most promising advanced aircraft concepts by identifying the key potential showstoppers and exploring relevant solutions, elaborating candidate concepts and assessing their potential. Advanced laminarity technologies as those related to extented laminarity will also be developed as considered as a key technological path to make further progress on drag reduction, to be applied to major drag contributors, especially the nacelles and wings. High speed airframe activities will be focused on the fuselage and wing by enabling better aircraft performance and quality of the delivered mobility service, with reduced fuel consumption with no compromise on overall aircraft capabilities (such as low speed abilities and versatility). Novel controls will introduce innovative control systems and strategies to make gains in overall aircraft efficiency. It will contribute to sizing requirement alleviations thanks to smart control of the flight dynamics. Finally, novel travel experience will investigate new cabins including layout and passenger-oriented equipment and systems as a key enabler of product differentiation, having an immediate and direct physical impact on the traveller, and with potential in terms of weight saving and eco-compliance.
High Versatility & Cost Efficiency (HVC)
Under this activity line, next generation optimised wing box will lead to progress in the aero-efficiency and to better, more durable, affordable and lighter-weight wing structures through the design, build and ground testing of innovative wing structures. The challenge is to develop and demonstrate new wing concepts (including architecture) that will bring significant performance improvements (in drag and weight) while improving affordability and enforcing stringent environmental constraints. From another hand, optimized high lift configurations activities will progress the aero-efficiency of wing, engine mounting and nacelle integration for aircraft that serve local airports thanks to excellent field performance. Advanced Integrated Structures will optimize the integration of systems in the airframe along with the validation of important structural advances, and to make progress on the production efficiency and manufacturing of structures. Finally, advance fuselage activities, that include also cockpit and cabins, will introduce new concepts of fuselage to support future aircraft and rotorcraft. More radical aero structural optimizations can lead to further improvements in drag and weight in the context of growing cost and environmental pressure, including the emergence of new competitors.
Eco-Design (ECO)
Eco-Design related activities, embedded in Airframe ITD, are mainly focused on developing environmentally sound technologies, and on LCI Data development to perform Life Cycle Assessment via ECO TA collaboration.
The Eco-Design Thematic Areas target the two following environmental benefits: lower impacts during the production of aircraft parts, the maintenance phase and end-of-life of the aircraft. In 2020 the Eco-Design activities were clustered to Flagship Demonstrators.
