Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
2, 3
TRANSPORT (including AERONAUTICS)
IMPROVING COST EFFICIENCY
AIRCRAFT OEVELOPMENT COST (Crescendo)
The perfection of gas-turbine engine working processes
mathematical models
Virtual tests and certifications:
o Development and verification of virtual test technique for runway
foreign object turbofan ingestion and possible powerplant damage
consequence.
o Development and verification of virtual certification technique for
powerplant birds ingestion.
. Airframe/powerplant integration:
o Development of high fidelity aircraft integrated mathematical
model including turbofan simulation.
o Development and verification of rational airframe/powerplant
integration technique based on multifactoral multicriteria flight
characteristics optimization.
. Powerplant modeling and simulation:
o Development of fast and reliable turbofan mathematical model
ensuring estimation engine size and weight at preliminary design
stage and during airframe/powerplant optimization.
o Development of powerplant mathematical model ensuring inlet
turbofan/nozzle(s) integration.
All items are based on advanced geometrical modeling
(parametrization, knowledge based engineering approach),
programming (object-oriented, multiplatform approach), meshing
and also postprocessing and visualization.
All virtual test and certification techniques are based on
multidisciplinary numerical approach including CFO and
FEM calculations.
During realization the advanced information technologies
POM and SOM (MSC.SimManager) for data storage and
management can be used.
Aero 5tructures &Materials
DISTRIBUTED SENSING AND ACTUATION FOR STRUCTURE
HEAL TH MONITORING IN AIRCARFT COMPOSITE
STRUCTURES
Structural health monitoring, SHM, (et condition-based monitoring)
has the potential to reduce the direct inspection and maintenance
costs associated with composite structures. The need is particularly
acute for carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) composite
structures where current standard visual inspections are often
inadequate to detect critical damage levels caused by impact events
and sub-surface damage. The basic concept is to use distributed
arrays of embedded or surface attached sensors to detect load
excursions and/or the presence of damage. Central or local data
processing is conducted to assess the severity of the damage and
the need to perform more detailed inspection and/or repair.
 The sensors will utilize novel piezo ceramic transducers that
act as Lamb-wave sensors as well as acoustic emission and
global frequency response sensors. Key research questions
associated with the utilization of these existing sensors are
the development of signal processing and control strategies
to cope with realistic numbers of sensors, determination of
range, resolution and damage type determination,
determination of optimal sensor placement given sensor
performance and structural considerations, as well as
assessing their durability in a representative service
environment.
 Longer term developments in the area of SHM include:
development of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)
scale sensors, that might be more appropriate to high-g
environments or space constrained environments such as on
propeller blades, within high pressure actuators or at joints,
particularly adhesive bond lines. Key research questions, in
addition to those listed above for the current generation,
surround the scaling of such devices and their resulting
performance, the integration of functionality within thedevice
(Le. MEMS offers the potential to integrate data, power,
communications on the same chip), together with the
development of the necessary processes in order to create
such devices. These technologies could be combined into a
SHM scheme, and this possibilitv will be explored.
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
FP7 - AAT - 2008- RTD-1
7.1.4 IMPROVING COST EFFICIENCY
AA T.2008.4.1.1. Design Systems and Tools
The project main objective is to create a data sharing engine among
different user management / design / logistic systems (COTS)
through a STEP repository and to provide a customisable workflow
management system that orchestrate the different tools in the
framework of the ISO System Engineering standard
Knowledge-based design tools and methods should include
integrated life-cycle (design, manufacturing, maintenance, re-use or
disposal) and product definition so that:
. The information flow between the different life-cycle are based on
the standardization of semantics for product definition
. The different life-cycle phases should be orchestrated to provide an
holistic environment for system design/production/maintenance
Enablinq standards/Technologies
System Engineering
ISO/lEC 26702:2007 defines the interdisciplinary tasks which are
required throughout a system's life cycle to transform customer
needs, requirements and constraints into a system solution. In
addition, it specifies the requirements for the systems engineering
process and its application throughout the product life cycle. ISO/lEC
26702:2007 focuses on engineering activities necessary to guide
product development, while ensuring that the product is properly
designed to make it affordable to produce, operate, maintain and
eventual/y dispose of it without undue risk to health or to the
environment.
PLCS
International Standard for product support information - based on:
- ISO 10303 STEP (AP 239)
- Complete product lifecycle - from concept to disposal
- Single source of assured product support information
- Data independence - Processes, Systems, Format
Interoperability across enterprises and systems through:
-
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
Standardization of semantics for product support
Integrated suite of data models for data exchange and
information sharing
Utilization of ISO STEP standards, methods and tools (incl
XMLlXSTL)
Extensibility and tailoring through the use of Reference data
Libraries
FP7-AAT - 2008- RTD-1 (Design Tools & Production Board)
7.1.4 IMPROVING COST EFFICIENCY
AAT.2008.4.1.1. Design Systems and Tools
The project aims to develop "advanced modelling and simulation
tools to include 'virtual reality' in support of design and 'virtual
prototyping'"
The objectives of the project are to:
- Integrate product data standards and Modelling & Simulation
standards
- Help the user in model building and generation
In this way the process Modeling and simulation allows the:
- Early validation of user/system requirements
- Early detection of design errors
- Comparison of different design alternatives avoiding the
production of expensive physical prototypes
A key issue for simulation models is represented by their "fideiity"
and a mean to guarantee "fidelity" is to build and tune the model
using structured and authoritative information about the system to
model
Key Standards
PLCS (Product Life Cycle System) - STEP International Standard
for product support information - based on ISO 10303 STEP (AP
239)
- Complete product lifecycle - from concept to disposal
- Single source of assured pro duet support information
- Data independence - Processes, Systems, Format
- Interoperability across enterprises and systems through:
- Standardization of semantics for product support
- Integrated suite of data models for data exchange and
information sharing
- Utilization of ISO STEP standards, methods and tools (incl
XMUXSTL)
- Extensibility and tailoring through the use of Reference data
libraries
HLA
- Interface Specification. The interface specification document
defines how HLA compliant simulators interact with the
Runtime infrastructure (RTI). The RTI provides a
programming library and an application programming
interface (API) compliant to the interface specification.
- Object Model Template (OMT). The OMT specifies what
information is communicated between simulations and how it
is documented.
- HLA Rules. Rules that simulations must obey to be compliant
to the standard.
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
FPT7 -AAT-2007 -RTD-1
Operational Salety
SmaliCollaborative Project
Innovative airfield lighting equipment, surface guidance and control
system
The proposal intends to improve aviation safety through the design
and development of new line of airfield lights based in the novel
application of several new technologies.
Such devices will be integrated within an innovative ground
guidance and control system, combining very high flexibility lighting
systems with a smart guidance function implementing the
EUROCONTROL level lll of an "Advanced Surface Movement
Guidance and Control System" (A-SMGCS).
The project will offer a high level guidance assistance to aircrafts
and other vehicles traffic in the airport area.
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
7.1.3.2 Passenger Friendly Air Transport Operation
7.1.3.3 Aircraft Safety
7.1.4.2 Aircraft Operational Cost
FP7- AERONAUTICS and AIR TRANSPORT (AAT) - 2008-RTD-l
CP-FP (small or medium scale focused research)
Development of Aircraft Engine Monitoring Systems
The research is aimed to improve the operation safety and
maintenance costs of an aircraft and its passenger comforts. The
aim will be fulfilled through real-time monitoring of an engine and
refinement of the engine design and its maintenance schedules
according to the information obtained during the engine operation.
An optical fiber sensor based monitoring system will be developed
to be used in high temperature environment to collect multiple
parameters from a working aircraft engine.
Objectives
- Developing optical fiber sensors that can carry multiple
parameters and withstand high temperature reaching 600°C.
- Developing signal processors that can demodulate
wavelength at high speed.
- Developing intelligent information processing software to
provide real-time on-board information.
- Prototyping the system.
Optical fiber sensors have been applied to a variety of cases such
as fire alarm systems for fuel storage and tunnels, strain and stress
monitoring systems for bridges, and safety operation monitoring of
large scale heavy-duty machines by one of the partners in the
consortium. Technologies for producing optical fiber gratings,
demodulation of optical wavelength, and collection of signals from
rotating shafts have been developed and the feasibility of the
proposed monitoring system has been demonstrated. The initial
work done will be further exploited and implemented in this
proposal.
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
FP7 -AAT-2008-RTD-1
Transport (including aeronautics)
ACTIVITY: 7.1.6PIONEERING THEAIRTRANSPORT
OFTHEFUTURE
AAT.2008.6.2.1. Novel Air Transport Vehicles
The project aims to provide a new concept of light aircraft, safer,
cleaner and economically more efficient. With the objective to match
the EC air transport goals concerning the environmental issue
settled in the Strategic Agenda for 2020, the project would bring a
strong innovation in the aircraft frame design that would allow this
light plane to be much less polluting regarding both C02 emissions
and external noise, in comparison with the existing aircraft models in
the same category of weight and size. This new model of light
aircraft is lifted and dragged by propellers, with a twin-motors fed by
kerosene Jet A1. The basic idea is to provide a really innovating
propulsion system. This new motors positioning will allow the pilot to
choose if using either both or only one propeller at a time, according
to the flight needs. Another important aspect of innovation of the
project is represented by a completely different aircraft design,
which will provide an ultra light airframe, featured with anchorage
spots on the plane body and vibration proof.
Call
identifier
FP7
Theme
Activity
Topic
Project
idea,
objectiv
es
FP7 -AAT-2008-RTD-1
Transport (including aeronautics)
7.1.1. The greening of air transport
Flight and Air Traffic Management. Investigation of the effects and
potential of adopting flight profiles and altitudes other than the
conventional ones.
Develop quantitative understanding of requirements to allow optimization
of profiles, including Continuous Descent Approaches, Continuous Climb
Departures. Optimisation includes planning trajectories in order to meet
required Time of Arrival, and planning trajectories to minimize fuel burn.
These requirements would include
factors such as the number of levels of wind information which can be
ingested by FMS. Techniques for deriving optimum vertical profiles for
individual aircraft, as a function of meteorological and aviation parameters
will be investigated. Problems of allowing multiple aircraft trajectories in
congested airspace will be considered. Tools to support trajectory
prediction (e.g. WAFTAGE - Winds Analysed and Forecast for Tactical
Aircraft Guidance over Europe) will be optimised in the light of clarified
requirements. Tools will be developed to demonstrate that WAFTAGE
meets
requirements in terms of required time of arrival. The nature and impact of
errors in aircraft wind and temperature measurements will be investigated.
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
AAT-2008-RTD-1
TRANSPORT INCLUDING AERONAUTICS
ACTIVITY 7.1.1 THE GREENING OF AIR TRANSPORT
ACTIVITY: 7.1.2 INCREASING TlME EFFICIENCY
ACTIVITY: 7.1.3 ENSURING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND
SAFETY
ACTIVITY: 7.1.4 IMPROVING COST EFFICIENCY
ACTIVITY: 7.1.6 PIONEERING THE AIR TRANSPORT OF THE
FUTURE
AAT.2008.1.3.2 Airports, AAT.2008.2.2.2 Airports, AAT.2008.3.2.2
Airports, AAT.2008.4.3.3 Airports, AAT.2008.6.2. Airports
The objective of the project is to develop the innovative concept and
user interface for solving airport's transportation problems. It
consists of an elevated ultra light transportation system (monorail)
and a station elevated over the aircraft's wing parallel with the
fuselage for boarding passengers. It will help to reduce significantly
turnaround time, costs, accidents, lost baggage and time spent at
the airport. The station integrates baggage handling and ground
service equipments such as power supply, water, refueling and
deicing systems.
The consortium consists of intemationally recognized experts from
technical universities and a leading boarding bridge manufacturer.
The project goal is constructing an experimental full scale model of
the monorail and the station for deeper analyze the concept in the
practice.
In the first part of the project after analyzing the needs of airports
(and existing airport service processes) the new concept will be
redefined and the monorail and airport station models will be
specified for further investigations. The second part the project
deals with the large model investigation for analyzing the real
operational conditions enabling us to find effective technical
solutions.
The impact going to be faster ground operations, fewer ground
service vehicles, satisfied passengers, less accidents for ground
staff and aircraft also, less ground time as specified in topics above.
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
FP7 -AA T-2008-RTD1
THEME 7 Transport (including aeronautics)
7.1.3 ENSURING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND SAFETY LEVEL
ONE
7.1.3.3 Aircraft Safety (AREA)
AAT.2008.3.3.4. Human Factors
Development of an Innovative Panic Control Training System
based on the Automatic Recognition of Memory Loss and
Anxiety Disorders EEG Signatures of Pilots - The project
involves the development of a demonstrator of an innovative system
for the analysis and prediction of pilot panic attacks in flight
emergency situations, namely techniques, algorithms, prediction
tools and simulation tools based on memory loss, anxiety disorders
and panic attacks models specifically developed for the automatic
recognition of memory loss and anxiety disorders EEG (ElectroEncephalo-Graphy) signatures of pilots, with the final target of
developing an innovative system for the analysis and the prediction
of pilot panic attacks in flight emergency situations.
The proposed system is considered at the frontier of technological
research and it represents a realistic way to put solid bases for the
manufacturing of effective portable tools for the analysis and
prediction of pilot panic attacks.
The system consists of a custom signature recognition unit linked to
a simulation unit and to a custom 256 channels EEG sensor
interface. The project includes the complete simulation of the
system and the simulation of the memory loss and anxiety disorders
states of the pilots under test. The simulations will be used both to
guide system design and to verity system performances in
simulated scenarios.
The demonstrator will be evaluated in the last 8 months of the 3rd
year of the project with 50 voluntary junior pilots and with 50
voluntary senior pilots at the Rome site, Italy, of the Italian authority
for public health monitoring to verity the system performances and
to compare simulation results with operative results. The last 6
months of the 1st year and the first three months of the 2nd year of
the project will be dedicated to a first measurement session of
memory loss and anxiety disorders EEG signals from 50 voluntary
junior pilots involved in specific exercises for the induction of
memory loss and anxiety disorders states (equivalent flight
emergency stimuli)
9. Avionics, Human Factors, Airports
Aeronautics and Air Transport
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
Advanced Flight Display Development
4-D Helicopter approach with collision avoidance by in-flight
trajectory re-routing
We seek partners for a project on a novel display concept for
carrying out a curved and descending helicopter approach-toIanding and touch-down, subject to a commanded velocity profile
along the trajectory. Such trajectories facilitate approaches
independent of runways, utilizing the available airspace in the best
possible way. We have developed and validated pictorial displays
for following complex curved and descending trajectories for a
velocity controlled approach, transition to hover, hover and touch
down. However, due to its unstructured characteristics and the
dynamically changing environment, it might not be possible to follow
the originally planned trajectory.
To deal with this dynamically changing situation we have developed
a basic concepts to re-route the trajectory in-flight. Re-routing might
be triggered by unforeseen events such as obstacles, traffic or an
unexpected change in the direction of approach to the landing site.
In these situations the pilot might have to deviate substantially from
the originally planned trajectory. Trajectory re-routing is initiated by
the pilot and takes place almost instantaneous. The new trajectory
will be based on the current aircraft position, heading and velocity
and on the position of the landing site and direction of approach and
is subject to a set of operational constraints.
We seek collaboration for developing pictorial displays which warn
and clearly indicate to the pilot possible threat of collision with other
aircraft or unaccounted for obstacles and which allow safely
avoiding the threat by the timely execution of a re-routed trajectory.
The collaboration will be on algorithms for detecting the collision
threats, in-flight re-routing and the design of the advanced pictorial
display. It will include fixed and moving base simulator evaluations
and preferably also flight testing
AAT.2008.1.1.5. Avionics
Fatigue reliability study and characterization of MEMS devices for
aerospace applications
Context
Many studies about commercial devices and systems have been
performed, above all in the field of aerospace applications. Recently
the research group joints the regional Italian project SISA which
goal was to support the widespread of MEMS technology among
small and medium companies active in the field of aerospace
sensors development. The activity was focused on the
characterization and testing of Inertial Measurements Units for
Unmanned Air Vehicles; in particular the inertial platform AIS40X
was completely characterized and its signal decay during
the functioning was investigated. These studies allow to make
important analysis about the reliability of such a structures and
devices, which functioning is often crucial for air vehicles.
Commercial sensors as accelerometers, gyroscopes and pressure
sensors have been treated and tested also.
Some demonstrators have been realized in order to show the
functioning of common commercial sensors for various industrial
applications. Testing procedures have been derived from Military
Standard tests and are focused on the excitation of sensors across
a specified frequency spectrum at different levels of acceleration for
a specified time (in particular the MIL-STD-810E testing procedure
was performed). Additional activities have been conduced in order
to define the applicability of MEMS inertial sensors (2-axis and 3axis accelerometers) on a testing desk for fuell-cell for aerospace
application. Other companies have been involved in the industrial
process of wire-bonding of dies containing test structures for
experimentation in a vacuum chamber, that was developed in
collaboration with Fogale Nanotech.
Project objectives
Recent technological building processes of microsystems,
microactuators and microsensors based on typical Integrated
Circuits standards are offering new opportunities for emerging
sectors; new control and management techniques are available for
both traditional and recent processes.
Low cost miniaturized sensors allow the realization of systems and
networks of diffuse sensors, making more easy monitoring and
controlling on large areas (and volumes), by the acquisition
of 'integrated' information data; sensing element redundancies are
easier and cheaper.
Description of activities
These recent technological developments allow to easy realize
monitoring networks now, not limited to a small number of traditional
sensors of high cost. This period one of the most relevant cases of
sensing investigation is focused on structural monitoring and safety.
Proposed research intends to develop experimentally MEMS
sensors through their develop and characterization and the
realization of some demonstrators; samples will be realized at
different complexity-levels, from simple solutions (first point) to more
elaborated ones (successive points).
- Correlation of project activities with reference technological
state of art
- Definition of characteristics, performances and critical
thresholds from the point of view of aero-navigability of
systems and components
- Design of components and/or modifications of commercial
available units
- Design and/or modification of test beds
- Realization of components, systems and test beds
- Definition and validation of mathematical model s
- Performing of experimental tests
Expertise required
- Research centre for MEMS and sensor development
- SME for electronic circuits and bonding
- Actual cooperation with Budapest University Department of
Electron Devices
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
Call identifier
FP7 -AAT-2008-RTD-1
THEME7 Transport (including aeronautics)
7.1.5 PROTECTION OF AIRCRAFT AND PASSENGERS - LEVEL
ONE
7.1.5.2 Operational Security (AREA)
AAT.2008.5.2.2. Airports
Innovative FBG based Beam Forming System for Deformable
Airport Human Detection Radar Antennas - The overall objective
of the project is the realization of a technological demonstrator of an
innovative Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) based beam forming system
for the computation of the beam forming (phase shifts of the
radiating elements) of deformable phased array antennas. The
system will be based on a FBG grid able to detect and measure
surface deformations of a flexible phased array antenna (spatial
positions of the radiating element centres) and on a DSP able to
perform the adaptive beam forming of phased array antenna based
on the input provided by the FBG grid (spatial positions). The
demonstrator will be integrated in a L-band human detection radar
system developed in the project and able to perform the detection of
the human presence beyond a wall through a membrane patch
array antenna prototype in KaptonTM material developed in the
project. The in field validation of the demonstrator will be performed
in a international airport in different buildings that will be identified in
the user and system requirements specification of the first year of
the project. The scientific technical value of the project consists in
the integration for the first time in the world of an of adaptive beam
forming technology for L-band membrane patch array antennas in a
L-band human detection radar system.
FP7-AERONAUTICS and AIR TRANSPORT (AAT) - 2008-RTD-l
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
Area:7.1.3.4 Operational Safety
A.A.T.2008.3.4.5. Human Factors
To develop and validate a methodology and a model to enable the
assessment through simulation of the workload of the cockpit crew
and ATCO??? depending on the tasks to be run by the pilots,
including abnormal and crisis situations. Initially, take off and
approach and landing will be the targeted flight phases to be
studied. The model will be built up in the basis of the tasks to be
carried out by the pilots during a normaI flight, including their
response to the safety emergency situations like reaction to ACAS
or TAWS alerts, equipment failures, etc. On this basis, the model
will introduce the new tasks derived from the procedures and
operational concepts currently under design and development,
mainly ASAS. The model will also introduce the security situations
as an important added value to the current operation in the
cockpit.(e.g.SAFEE)
The model will reproduce the tasks in a cockpit as well as it will be
able to predict the reaction of the pilot to a certain alert signal. By
combining the tasks to be executed by the pilots, the model will
provide the workload of the pilot as output. The model will then allow
defining a prioritization of the alerts to be given to the pilots in
function of the situation in the cockpit and the aircraft status. It will
also serve to better design and presentation of the alerts to be
provided to the pilots, controllers. etc (type -audio, visual-, duration,
intensity, etc...) as it will anticipate the pilot behaviour in the cockpit.
It will hence facilitate the development of new procedures and the
HMI for new systems.
The model will reIy on extensive database of tasks to be performed
by the pilots. The database will be populated by observation of the
pilots work in the cockpit. This can be done by attending the training
programmes at airliners or by using pilots in aircraft simulators
Finally, the model will be validated by a series of tests such as
pilots' behaviour in flight simulators under a wide variety of
situations and scenarios.
The model will be based on the SWtool (WITNESS, MATLAB...),
successfully already used to develop a model based on ATCO
workload
2,3
TRANSPORT (including AERONAUTICS
THE GREENING OF AIR TRANSPORT
GREEN AlRCRAFT (OPENAI(R))
Mathematical modeling of acoustical processes in gas-turbine
engine and experimental research of noise absorbing devices
Perfection and verification of aero engine noise reduction methods,
based on using multidisciplinary approaches, including:
- The development and verification of existing mathematical
models of non-stationary aerodynamics processes and
acoustic generation in gas-turbine engine turbo machines,
-
-
Call identifier
FP7 Theme
Activity
Topic
Project idea,
objectives
including non-stationary rotor-stator interaction, initiation and
propagation of shock-wave structures etc. The perfection of
mathematical model for describing of turbulent flows,
including the development of LES-methods;
The mathematical modeling of acoustic waves propagation
and absorbing in the engine channel. The development of
multilevel models for describing sound absorption treatments
effect and their influence on acoustic waves spreading;
The experimental determination of fans and compressors
acoustic characteristics at the large scale models;
The experimental research of sound absorbing treatments
and noise absorbing nozzles efficiency
The development of multiparametric multidisciplinary
optimization methods of engine elements.
FP7-AAT-2008-RTD-1
Aeronautics
All Condition Operations & Innovative Cockpit Infrastructure
Project Overview
2.1 Scope of ALICIA
WorIdwide operation of aircraft requires the capability to handle a
broad and expanding range of operational conditions. Diversity of
operating conditions can be linked to different standards in the local
environments and these may range from airport capacity limitations
and infrastructure requirements through to aircraft crew procedures
and training. Increasingly, the aircraft performance must also be
robust to external perturbation, including unfavourable atrnospheric
conditions, low visibility conditions, and other environmental
constraints.
These issues all become focused on innovative avionics systems,
and also at the cockpit interface where the various operating
constraints must be managed by the crew. Thus, new integrated
applications such as all conditions operations will challenge the
crew interface design. To meet such challenges a new and
innovative approach to the cockpit design will be required. ALICIA
will develop a new approach in cockpit design to enhance situation
awareness, and improve overall safety.
The complexity, diversity of use and consequential through life cost
of avionics/aircraft systems continue to rise despite significant
advances in areas such as integrated modular avionics, high
performance data networks and the introduction of new tools such
as automatic code generation.
One significant contributor to aircraft through life cost can be shown
to be the cockpit/crewstation interface where the financial
consequence of introducing new technologies whilst simultaneously
dealing with certification and obsolescence is becoming a major
cost burden. Typically, in the lifetime of a single aircraft, four major
redesigns to the cockpit
interface may occur and because of the criticality of many of these
interfaces, the cost of design, development and certification is
becoming unsustainable. The aim within ALICIA will be to
address the issues of complexity and diversity whilst reversing the
trend observed in the past decade of increasing overall cost of
cockpit electronic systems. Fundamentally, the system management
task in the cockpit comprises a core set of functions common to all
aircraft be it a large passenger aircraft, regional aircraft, business jet
or rotorcraft. These core functions are then overIaid with specialist
applications according to the intended role of the aircraft. Candidate
core functions could include engine management, electrical system
management, fuel, hydraulics, communications, navigation and
f1ight control system management. Aircraft integrator s and key
suppliers are already working hard to get commonality of equipment
and interface to lower through life cost but these efforts are mostly
targeted to individual product ranges because this is where cost
savings can most easily be realised. Reasonable progress has been
made in this area as is evidenced by the cockpit architecture on
A380, 787, Falcon and other recent programmes. Whilst the
progress that has been made should be applauded, more could be
done if the European Industry were to work together towards a
common concept cockpit.
Within this concept cockpit, a common set of building blocks for
cockpit design could be defined allowing future cockpits to share:
- Developments in HMI including a common set of core
formats
- New approaches to the integration of new applications
- Common interface standards
- Commonality in approach to certification
Although any particular cockpit implementation will be specific to
the' aircraft and its intended role, all cockpits should be able to
employ identical building blocks for HM! and the associated
interfaces. This means that the common concept cockpit wiU be
applicable to airframe types and by virtue of this, will secure
significant through life cost advantages.
The proposed approach will enable a more radical step in cockpit
evolution that any single company or project based consortium
could justify. This can on1y be achieved by international
collaboration on a large scale which in the context of Europe can
only be realistically achieved within a European Programme.
In the concept envisaged, use could be made of technologies such
as touch screens, large area displays, voice/audio and cursor
control devices to enhance the crew interface. This could provide a
more intuitive means of system interaction whilst at the same tirne
improving situation awareness, reducing the real estate in the
cockpit given over to control and display and simultaneously
significantly reducing system weight. A major objective would be to
deliver a common interface which can manage existing core
applications across all aircraft types whilst sirnultaneously
supporting the needs of the new applications identified above. This
would reduce through life cost by delivering an HMI which is more
compact, more intuitive, which requires much less training and
which by virtue of its universal application can be subject to more
rigorous analysis than would be affordable in any bespoke design.
2.2 Objectives
In the coming years, the cockpit design will be stressed by the
introduction of new concepts such as those being developed within
the SESAR Programme. Furthermore, the technologies such as
all conditions operations dealt with in ALICIA will place additional
stress on the crew workstation design. Introduction of these new
applications using a "classical" integration approach could be very
cost1y but may also introduce the risk of saturating the crew with
information with consequential irnpact on the cost of design and
certification.
Accordingly, within ALICIA, new core concepts applicable to all new
cockpits will be defined and this will facilitate the efficient
introduction of a broad and expanding range of operational
conditions, whilst achieving the lowest through life cost.
The two main objectives of the project are to:
- Design a core cockpit architecture employing new
technologies applicable to all aircraft types and offering a
seamless integration of new and challenging applications
such All Condition Operations
- Improve mission efficiency by ensuring robust worldwide
operations in all flight conditions
The utility and scalability of the new concept will be demonstrated
using simulation/synthetic environments and bench testing to
illustrate the feasibility of highly integrated on board functions
performing:
- Strategic surveillance of the aircraft environment
- Enhanced navigation
- Robust worldwide operations in all flight conditions
2.3 Key Project Outcomes
The key project outcomes are listed below:
l. An innovative HMI which de-clutters the cockpit environment
leading to a significant reduction in cockpit real estate with
associated weight reductions
2. Improved despatch and diversion rates by providing enhanced
situation awareness and ability to operate in all weather conditions
and from any airport
3. Demonstration of improved safety through the use of a common
HMI designed according to a validated process and the
development of interface methodologies which are verifiable using
rigorous analysis
4. Reduction in overall crew training and type approval times
5. Enhanced equipment interoperability leading to reduced
obsolescence costs
6. Reduced NRE in redesign and qualification of cockpit systems
7. Production of cross platform standards for:
a. Input Devices
b. Colour/Shape sets
c. Formats
d. Audio Environment
8. A competitive, sustainable and scaleable approach to future
cockpit design applicable to large aircraft, business jet/regional
aircraft and rotorcraft
9. The project will provide the cockpit infrastructure necessary to
take the next step towards single crew operation
It is expected that the project will culminate in demonstrations using
a mixture of bench testing and synthetic environments. These will
provide examples of how the new cockpit concept can be applied to
various platform types and will also provide supporting evidence to a
benefits analysis. The demonstrations will illustrate the application
of the common approach to core cockpit system management whilst
simultaneously illustrating the extensibility of the concept to deal
with the stressing application of all conditions operations