|
|
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
19 June, 2005, Paris: Airbus Industrie is leading a research team of 35 partners from 13 nations, which test and validates technologies to enable new aircraft concepts to be assessed – and perhaps incorporated into future airplane designs.
Started in April this year, the New Aircraft Concepts Research or NACRE is a 4-year project which receives some funding from the European Commission.
In the past 50 years, apart from safety and security, the major driver behind aircraft design was improving operational efficiency, especially by reducing fuel consumption. Given that air traffic is expected to more than double in the coming 20 years, serious progress must be achieved in improving the efficiency but reducing the environmental impact to ensure sustainable future growth.
Demands on future aircraft may be unattainable with current priorities. Other goals like better passenger luxury and cheaper air tickets more affordable may not be possible with today’s mindset associated to classic aircraft configurations. Airbus is therefore hunting for new aircraft concepts which may provide the right opportunity to permit the required step changes.
NCARE is not committed to one future aircrft development project. Rather, NACRE hopes to develop solutions at a generic aircraft component stage – cabin, wing, powerplant system, fuselage etc - which will enable the results to be applicable for a range of new aircraft designs.
Till 2009, NACRE will focus on three themes designed to address specific subsets of design drivers:
1. the eco-friendly concept, which will concentrate on minimising impact on the environment
2. the quality concept, targeted at offering enhanced comfort for passengers and optimised payload for freight;
3. the money-saving concept which puts the biggest emphasis on low manufacturing and operating costs, and improved revenue.
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
|
