Conference Program

The Airbus electrification journey started a few years ago with the E-Fan demonstrators, followed by the launch of Vahana, which paved the way to all-electric vertical flight, confirmed today with the CityAirbus NextGen demonstrator. To reach the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) goals aimed at stabilizing CO2 emissions with carbon-neutral growth and reducing net emissions from air travel, Airbus is investing its research efforts in electrification by exploring some of the key technologies of hybridization, such as e-motors, power distribution, motor controllers and new architectures. In this journey, electric flight demonstrators are crucial stepping stones to explore different sets of technologies ranging from incremental improvements to revolutionary technologies like hybridization and fully electric UAM platforms, toward disruption with hydrogen or superconductivity. In this talk we will share Airbus’s group-wide energy sustainability efforts toward clean aerospace and a net-zero carbon footprint for the 2050 horizon.

The advanced air mobility market is incredibly exciting, offering the opportunity to transform the way we travel. Rolls-Royce is offering customers a complete electric and hybrid electric power and propulsion system for their platforms. Through the Rolls-Royce electrical business, a global team is developing solutions for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), electric short take-off/landing (eSTOL) and electric fixed-wing commuter aircraft. The president of Rolls-Royce’s electrical business, Rob Watson, will talk about the electric and hybrid electric capabilities and technology being developed by Rolls-Royce and will give an overview of the industry landscape and the steps needed to deliver the opportunities the advanced air mobility market offers.

Hydroplane is developing an aviation-specific hydrogen fuel cell powerplant for vertical lift, urban air mobility and fixed-wing aviation platforms. This presentation will review the opportunities and challenges for truly decarbonizing aviation, with green hydrogen as an energy carrier.

Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding program for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth. Hybrid electric aviation research is one of the priorities over the period of 2021-2027. The presentation will provide an overview of the Horizon Europe structure and funding opportunities as well as present the technical results of ongoing relevant research projects.

Hybrid-electric propulsion holds considerable potential to improve aircraft efficiency across a range of different applications in support of the aviation industry’s goal of achieving net-zero CO2 emissions for air travel by 2050. Mr Jason Solomonides will draw from Pratt & Whitney studies and demonstrators ranging from UAM to single-aisle aircraft applications to explain the potential of hybrid-electric with common building blocks, and how it intersects with other technologies and alternative fuels that will be required for net zero. The rapidly advancing field of electrified aircraft propulsion will help improve the efficiency of motor and battery systems that will ultimately facilitate even greater efficiencies for hybrid-electric systems.

Wright Electric proposes to build short haul, single-aisle, zero-emissions aircraft using next-generation motors, aerodynamics and energy storage. The presentation will describe the details of Wright's aircraft development program.

In addition to ongoing aircraft performance improvements (e.g. NLF, advanced composite and metallic structures, electrical ice protection and integration mass reductions), GKN have been working on a number of sustainable aircraft initiatives including validation of the RM12 engine for 100% SAF, Cryogenic Hydrogen Electric Propulsion, Cryogenic Fuel Systems, Electrical Propulsors and also technologies for Hydrogen Combustion expanding knowledge they use on the Vulcain rocket. GKN Aerospace will briefly touch on what they have been doing since the GKN and Fokker e-volution program introducing the H2GEAR (Hybrid HydroGen Electric ArchitectuRe) project, challenges and the scalability of the system for zero emissions propulsion.

In this session, Julian will address the scope of carbon emissions generated by today’s aviation sector and the challenges in emission reduction with the existing solutions. He will then discuss emerging trends in aviation electrification and specifically cover ZeroAvia’s breakthrough hydrogen electric powertrain technology for commercial aircraft. Most importantly, Julian will convey how innovations like ZeroAvia’s will impact the aviation industry, what current major airline partners like British Airways and Alaska Airlines are trying to achieve when it comes to sustainability goals, and when we can expect to see large-scale, decarbonized commercial jets in our skies.

Most large aircraft currently use twin turbofans and the design process for these is well established. Moving to electrical propulsion doesn't just impact the propulsion system but fundamentally alters the way in which the whole aircraft must be designed from the first panel to final testing, including the aerodynamic design. This may seem far fetched to some readers and the effect of bias from electrical engineers, however, the fundamental differences in scaling and safety design approaches mean there is no other option. Furthermore, the design now has to be fully integrated to the point where individual product specifications can no longer be issued by the designer or airframer but must be developed as part of the design. This directly impacts the supply chain, which in fact must become part of the design authority for the aircraft. These three key effects will be outlined in the paper and examples will be given in each case that leads to radical changes to aircraft design.

Based on the technological experience of the last 15 years and seven flight test campaigns, H2Fly will build and deliver the first upscaled 1.5MW hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrain for commercial aviation. By installing the powertrain into a 40-seater aircraft with an expected range of more than 2000km, real transport capacity can be delivered. The presentation will show the technical status of the project and deliver insights into hydrogen storage and conversion on board aircraft.

The H2020-funded project FUTPRINT50 identifies and develops the technologies and configurations required for the entry into service of a 50-seat hybrid electric regional aircraft by 2035/40. In this context, the presentation will focus on the technology options, in particular for energy storage, energy conversion and thermal management, a down-selection of potential powertrain architectures and their influence on aircraft configuration. An analysis of technology gaps and regulatory requirements will show what is required to deliver on the ambitious entry into service target which could open up new possibilities in the regional market.

Electric, hydrogen, SAFs, or something in between – what technology will win for narrowbody scale sustainable aircraft? What is the best for the environment, considering both CO2 and non-CO2 effects? Moreover, what will be the necessary technological developments and the commercial implications? Following on the heels of their EHATS 2021 presentation, Roland Berger and NLR have teamed up again to answer the most complex questions as our industry undergoes the sustainability transition.

Hybrid electric power provides electric aircraft with greater energy density and significantly expanded mission performance while also reducing fuel consumption. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) provide a net-zero carbon cycle for operating aircraft. The intersection of hybrids and SAFs creates an interesting design space for the highest performing, lowest technology risk, lowest operating cost method for achieving zero net carbon flight. The high efficiency of diesel cycle engines operating on SAF accelerates the adoption of SAF as the price of sustainable fuels reduces over time at a faster rate than battery energy density and cycle lifetime improve.

An overview of the developments at the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) will be given about the progress made within the hydrogen research program. The feasibility of having high-pressure hydrogen (GH2) on board fuel cell-powered drones is demonstrated with the Hydra 1 and 2 drones. The liquid hydrogen infrastructure at NLR is being prepared and a first demonstration flight with a Hydra 2 on LH2 is expected in 2022.

Reducing climate change is a critical challenge worldwide. With the imperative to reduce carbon footprint, hydrogen propulsion has the potential to play a major part in aviation decarbonization. One key component in realizing the potential of hydrogen is collaboration with the digital continuity, from organizations to leaders and jurisdictions but also across all hydrogen programs. Using a single source of truth accelerates product delivery, enabling system integration among all program partners and suppliers. It also supports decision makers and investors in deploying hydrogen at scale, by accelerating innovations, reducing costs and developing the workforce of tomorrow.

The evolution of aircraft towards the use of hydrogen as fuel requires the conversion of existing test benches. MDS leverages its experience in the integration of hydrogen supply for industrial gas turbines for its integration in aircraft powerplant tests. Several areas require attention: identification of test article fuel delivery processes; safe hydrogen storage and handling design including code compliance, exhaust system design/deflagration and material selection; accessing hydrogen in sufficient quantities; and additional considerations for integration in existing facilities. Overall, MDS's study reveals the feasibility and challenges of hydrogen aircraft tests.