Next generation testing capabilities in strategic EU wind tunnels

Expected Outcome:

Project results should focus on new and adapted testing capabilities for next generation climate neutral aviation. Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Airframe transformative technologies, including airframe-propulsion integration;
• High aspect ratio and/or highly flexible unfuelled wing;
• Distributed hybrid/electric propulsion;
• Airframe and propulsion aeroacoustics;
• Further advancements of experimental simulation capabilities required for novel low-emission aircraft towards reducing further the lead times.

Scope:

The new mission letter to Commission-designate for startups, research and innovation called for new long-term strategy to boost European Research Infrastructures, recognising the need to further strengthen the European research and technology linked to strategic facilities, as they can greatly contribute to the competitiveness of the European economy.

In parallel to ongoing research policy initiatives which aim to define the future EU landscape and funding programmes to support technology infrastructures, the advancement of science and technologies is necessary for the development of new and adapted testing capabilities. EU wind-tunnels is a prime example of such strategic capabilities towards climate-neutral aviation. The Horizon 2020 RINGO project has provided an analysis of needs, gaps and overlaps of European Aviation R&I Infrastructures, especially strategic infrastructures, in order to achieve Flightpath 2050 goals, while a recent internal effort has updated, refined and prioritised those findings.

The scope of this topic is focused on better understanding and further advancing critical technologies that require the update of relevant strategic EU testing capabilities, in particular wind tunnels. While new instrumentation and development of new testing procedures and digital tools is within the scope of this topic, other Research and Technology Infrastructure investments (i.e., buildings, auxiliary facilities, etc) fall outside of the scope.

The complexity of multi-disciplinary design and optimisation of future aircrafts requires extensive computational efforts, validated by wind-tunnel and propulsion testing. The scope of this topic is confined by strategic priorities and proposed aircraft concepts as defined in the updated Horizon Europe Clean Aviation Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda. Emphasis is placed on airframe and propulsion transformative technologies, including the integration of advanced propulsion architectures on the airframe, distributed hybrid/electric propulsion, high aspect ratio and highly flexible unfuelled wing (e.g. for LH2 aircraft), boundary layer ingestion, ground effects in new aircraft architectures and aeroacoustics.

The projects should be aligned with the Fly the Green Deal vision and 2050 climate neutral aviation objectives and if possible, exploit synergies with other EU and National projects. In those cases that the participation of multiple testing facilities is required, the projects should also define and agree upon interfaces, common architectures and common data exchange formats.