NATS - National Aerospace Technology Strategy > ATVPs and AINs > More Electric Aircraft ATVP
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The Aerospace industry is recognised as one of the leading sectors in technology development, acting as a stimulus for growth and generating a substantial balance of trade surplus. This makes the Aerospace the UK's most competitive manufacturing sector. Investment in R&T and R&D gives civilian aerospace sustainability and competitive winning advantage.
As part of the National Aerospace Technology Strategy (NATS), the Aerospace Innovation Growth Team (AeIGT) initiative is to realise the vision that "by 2022 the UK will offer a global aerospace industry as the world's most innovative and productive location, leading to a sustainable growth for all its stakeholders". Instrumental to this is the formation of six Aerospace Technology Validation Programmes (ATVPs) and thirteen Aerospace Innovation Networks (AINs) believed to have the most direct impact on these objectives.
One of these recognised areas is the More Electric Aircraft TVP, which will develop the spectrum of underlying technologies for future electrical equipment deployed on civil aircraft.
The objective of this research programme is the replacement of bleed air and hydraulic power sources with electrical equivalents, enabling a significant and valuable improvement in efficiency, system flexibility, aircraft reliability and specific fuel consumption.
Research Themes
Benefits
The programme will engage industry : top level integrators like Airbus UK and Rolls - Royce; Tier 1 aerospace suppliers like Cobham, Dunlop, GKN, Goodrich, Honeywell, Messier-Dowty, Smiths, THALES, etc; SMEs and supply chain companies; research organisations - including the strong knowledge base on machines and power electronics at UK universities; Government; and the regional Development Agencies. They will work closely with the other AINs (Advanced Electrical Power Systems, Electromagnetic Effects and Interactions, Advanced Materials, Health Management & Prognostics) and TVPs (Environmentally Friendly Engine, Integrated Wing) to exploit fully the emerging technologies and ensure they are pulled through from the science base and embedded in the supply chain. This is to be achieved by developing the spectrum of underlying technologies for future electrical equipment on civil aircraft.
The benefits of under taking the programme are:
- Exposure of Tier 1 aerospace suppliers to the strategic technology aims of the global airframe integrators.
- Engaging SMEs and supply chain companies to the global aviation technology roadmap at a level meaningful for them.
- Positioning UK industry for future high added value work in this technology area.
- Acting as a magnet for high added value research and manufacturing work to come to ? or be retained in ? the UK.
- Building up the technology baseline and critical mass of UK aviation industry.
The programme will be focussed on delivering / developing key technologies to change and improve the offering of UK industry on aircraft equipment and systems (the high added value content "under the skin" of civil aircraft).
The range of multiple power sources on civil aircraft - bleed and hydraulic mains, electrical generation - have been static since the 1950s (Boeing 707 until the present). The use of advanced electrical machines, flexible and modular power electronic drives, integrated with advanced new engines (evidenced by recent developments on Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 wide bodies) make it now feasible to realise significant and important improvements in the future civil fleet.
UK industry has the capability to harness and deliver on this investment by working together with the Government and the Regional Bodies to continue to develop an increasingly robust aerospace industry. Industrial partners can hope to develop their forward looking strategy and capability, with accompanying strengthening of local economies through this. In addition multiple cross-sectoral benefits can be achieved through exploitation of technology / capability into other areas. The nominated industry lead company for this programme is Goodrich Power Systems.
Status
The programme is currently in the implementation stage with industry working on some strands of collaborative industrial research that have so far been recognised as strategically important for the UK.
Other work is underway at the proposal preparation and definition phase, seeking input from Government, regional stakeholders and SMEs to identify technology research themes to align and support the projected future capability requirements for the More Electric Aircraft TVP.