Smarter skies?

These and the other tough environmental targets will only be met by a combination of investment in smarter aircraft design and optimising the environment in which the aircraft operates. That is why our latest ‘Future by Airbus Smarter Skies’ concepts focus on not just what we fly, but how we may fly in 2050 and beyond. ” Champion said that aviation today is the fruit of a pioneering spirit that has driven and continues to drive people to explore the boundaries of the possible – and to make them an everyday reality.

“Nowhere is this spirit more emblematic than in Australia – where vast distances can only be bridged by the aircraft,” he said.

He said that since Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm took their tri-motor Southern Cross for a spin across the Pacific the industry has soared.

“Thanks to technology, air transport now moves nearly three billion passengers and 35 per cent of the world’s trade every year, supports almost 60 million jobs, over US$2 trillion in GDP and vital links for developing countries. ” And even more impressive, Champion said, is the fact that while air traffic has grown by over 50 per cent in the last decade, the demand for fuel from aviation has pretty much remained flat.

“With air transport touching so many lives in so many ways, we decided to ask thousands of potential passengers around the world what they expect from air transport in 2050 and beyond. ” Champion said the Airbus survey found that people wanted to travel more, but with less impact on the environment.

“And they want more comfort and connectivity, but with a lower ticket price.

Which probably doesn’t surprise you, but it does set the bar high. ” “The good news is that we’re already well on track with the A380 starting to become a bit more commonplace now, with 81 in service around the world. And the A350 and A320neo are well underway. ” Champion said the bad news is that when you start to look a bit further down the road there are “some dirty great obstacles headed our way and we are not best equipped to deal with them. ” “In particular, it’s hard to ignore the fact that as well as touching more lives than virtually any other, aviation is also one of the most capital intensive, long-term industries in the world. ”Champion said it takes 20 years for a significant step-change in aircraft technology.

“The program will run for about 30 years and the last aircraft built will fly for another 30 – that gives us an 80-year cycle to think about.

And it’s not just the aircraft.

“With this being such a global industry, upgrading infrastructure needs agreement across dozens of countries. Which explains why Queen Elizabeth isn’t the only one with a Diamond Jubilee. ” “The current air traffic management system has been around for just as long.

Incredible – our kids can play with their mates using digital connections, but our pilots still have to use VHF. ” And putting those delays into perspective Champion said that the world’s population is going to increase by 50 per cent to about nine billion in the next 40 years.

“The planet isn’t going to grow by 50 per cent so environmental concerns will have to outpace global warming. There will be four or five times more aircraft in the sky, between 10 and 20 thousand at any one time. ”

Currently the industry wastes five million flight hours and burns nine million tonnes of excess fuel a year with a resultant 28 million tonnes of CO2 because of airport and ATC congestion.

“And the cost of refuelling is going to get crazy. That’s assuming you actually have a supply and that the airports aren’t so congested it’s impossible to takeoff. ” And Champion warned that the aviation industry is an industry like no other and there are major obstacles.

“I am not exaggerating. And that’s a message we need to start spreading well beyond the walls of this room because we need to be looking a hell of a lot further down the road and we need to start prioritising on what the world’s long-term priorities are, when it comes to making choices between emissions or noise, cost or recycling. ” “And we need to start addressing some of the issues that will make it possible to deliver the solutions because we can’t do anything without the right people. ” Champion warned that unfortunately at one end of the scale, there’s a whole lot of great engineers headed for the golf course but at the other end, kids are struggling with science and maths in school.

“Not enough of them are going on to study engineering. In the last decade, schools only turned out half the number of engineers that Australia needs, with failure and dropout rates running at around 40 per cent. ” “And many graduates then decide to follow different careers and of those that finally make it into aeronautics, we’re seeing a growing skills gap,” he said.

“It’s not a pretty picture. We’ve got to start attracting the best talent back into engineering and then to stay in it. ” “We’ve got to invest in education and training at all levels, we’ve got to recognise the professional standing of people already working in engineering and we’ve got to capture and pass on the knowledge and passion of those heading into retirement. ” Champion reminded his captive audience that Australia has an aviation heritage that runs deep. “It’s in your DNA. ” “Nancy-Bird Walton might have started flying with Kingsford Smith, but we were lucky enough to get her on an A380 that bore her name. Talk to anybody who met her that day and they will tell you she kept a passion for flying that was as infectious as it was humbling. ” “Our test pilots couldn’t get enough of her!” “And Queensland University students won the inaugural Airbus global university challenge ‘Fly Your Ideas’ in 2008/09 with a proposal on using the castor plant to produce bio-composite materials for cabin components. ” “There are also the guys at GippsAero, one of the few organisations with Civil Aviation Safety Authority approvals to both design and manufacture aircraft, who stayed focused on simplicity and first principles to preserve a tradition of home- grown Australian planes like the GA8 Airvan and the GA200 agricultural aircraft. ” Champion said that Neil Armstrong gave his last interview in Australia and when he died, Prime Minister Gillard said it marked “the end of an amazing era in human progress”.

“No offence – I disagree. Perhaps she was being a little hasty. ” “Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin went to the moon and back on less computing power than that in an iPhone or Blackberry.

“These devices have more computing power than a lot of single-aisle aircraft still in service today. But it’s nothing compared to some of the things in the works. ” “From alternative energy and nanotechnology to 3D printing and intelligent materials, we are sitting right on the edge of a whole new era in human progress, said Champion.

“The solutions we need won’t come easy.

But then, I’m saying that in a country where nothing ever did. ” “So, I hope that you’re going to bring that attitude and determination to the table. That you are going to put the passion back into the next generation, light a fire under some of the politicians and the media and help shape air transport’s future as much as you’ve shaped its past. ”

Smarter Skies

‘Smarter Skies’ is the latest instalments in The Future by Airbus – a vision of sustainable aviation in 2050. Following the radical Concept Plane and Concept Cabin, Smarter Skies looks beyond aircraft design for more efficient operations both in the air and on the ground. Some of the concepts of Smarter Skies, says Champion, “go beyond the usual boundaries to look at disruptive ideas to cut time, delay and emissions. ” The five Airbus Smarter Skies concepts are: 1) Aircraft takeoff in continuous ‘ecoclimb’ Aircraft launched through assisted takeoffs using renewably-powered, propelled acceleration, would allow steeper climb from airports to minimise noise and reach efficient cruise altitudes quicker.

As space becomes a premium and megacities become a reality, this approach could also minimise land use as shorter runways could be utilised.

2) Aircraft in free flight and formation along ‘express skyways’ Highly intelligent aircraft would be able to ‘self-organise’ and select the most efficient and environmentally friendly routes (‘free flight’), making the optimum use of prevailing weather and atmospheric conditions.

High frequency routes would also allow aircraft to benefit from flying in formation like birds during cruise, bringing efficiency improvements due to drag reduction and lower energy use.

3) Low noise, free-glide approaches and landings Aircraft allowed to make free-glide approaches into airports would reduce emissions during the overall descent and reduce noise during the steeper approach as there is no need for engine thrust or air-breaking.

These approaches would also reduce the landing speed earlier which would make shorter landing distances achievable (less runway needed).

4) Low emission ground operations On landing aircraft engines could be switched off sooner and runways cleared faster, ground handling emissions could be cut.

Technology could optimise an aircraft’s landing position with enough accuracy for an autonomous renewably-powered taxiing carriage to be ready, so aircraft could be transported away from runways quicker, which would optimise terminal space, and remove runway and gate limitations.

5) Powering future aircraft and infrastructure The use of sustainable biofuels and other potential alternative energy sources (such as electricity, hydrogen, solar etc. ) will be necessary to secure supply and further reduce aviation’s environmental footprint in the long term. This will allow the extensive introduction of regionally-sourced renewable energy close to airports, feeding both aircraft and infrastructure requirements sustainably.

While some concepts Champion admits remain an engineer’s dream, Airbus is already working on the development and use of alternative fuels and supporting plans for more efficient air traffic management. Airbus believes that in the future more people should be able to share in the benefits of air travel; that a more connected world can also be a more sustainable world; and that the right combination of technology and talent – along with the right investment, support and cooperation – can make this happen.

And while The Future by Airbus gives a possible glimpse of the future, more immediately Champion is focused on Airbus’s development program priorities on the A350, A400M and A320neo.

Asked by Australian Aviation when Airbus will have the engineering resources available to do the next big project, Champion said in about three years.

However, he warned that “the engine guys were overloaded [with work]. ” He also said that Airbus is looking at a 2020-25 decision for a replacement of the A320neo.

“We are rather reopening the game than closing it,” said Champion.

Queried about the focus of Airbus engineering resources between 2015 to 2020 Champion said they would be focused on developments of the A350 and the A380.

He also noted that most of Airbus engineering resources “were currently focused on the A350. ” As for the future direction of materials Mr Champion said on a new short range narrowbody now he would go for metal but in five years it may be different.

These are the slightly more prosaic considerations for a man who clearly has at least one eye on the longer term-future.

Aircraft launched through assisted takeoffs using renewably-powered, propelled acceleration, would allow steeper climb from airports.