Something in the Air

Despite the fragile state of the world economy, the lingering threat of terrorism, and ongoing criticism of aviation’s contribution to carbon emissions, the demand for air travel continues to grow by 4 to 5 percent each year. This is good news for the industry, which is directly responsible for over eight million jobs globally and generates around £347 billion per year – about the annual GDP of Switzerland.

For the industry’s big two, the risks continue to pay off as passenger numbers rise and airlines keep placing orders. But Gregor Dirks, Chief Innovator at the Airbus Innovation Cell at the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) headquarters in Toulouse, France, warns that complacency represents a different type of risk, and believes that aircraft manufacturers must continue to innovate if they wish to flourish. “Both as a company and as an industry, we have so much invested in the current processes and infrastructure that it is extremely difficult to be agile and to develop new ideas quickly,” he explains. “Obstacles like cost and certification can block innovation – but it is our job to identify the most important issues and to push these things forward.”

Ian Poll is also aware that the next generation of aircraft designers needs to be prepared for the pressure of increasing environmental concerns, although he is keen to point out that this is an area of ongoing research without a determined plan of action. “The interaction between the global aviation fleet and the environment is very complicated indeed and is not yet fully understood,” he claims. “I say to the students that this is going to be their problem and if they don’t understand it now, the chance of solutions arising in the time frames they’re needed is small.”

Cranfield Aerospace, the university’s commercial unit, provides facilities for students and aircraft manufacturers to develop and test prototypes of radical new aircraft shapes, such as Boeing’s blended wing X-48. This wedge-shaped plane offers an alternative to the tube and wing configuration, but Poll points out that it will take a significant shift in attitudes and priorities for such revolutionary ideas to become reality. “It’s hard to say at what point the pressure might become high enough to warrant the risk required to put a new shape into production,” he says. “We can all fiddle about on the backs of envelopes with wonderful futuristic designs; the real skill is in extracting the maximum practical benefit in the commercial environment.”

Developing lighter, more aerodynamic aircraft and refining the processes required to build and maintain them is the goal of aerospace research and development teams the world over. Mats Palmberg, Vice President and Head of Marketing and Future Products at Saab Aeronautics in Linköping, Sweden, explains that design and manufacturing is as important in the development of military aircraft as it is in commercial planes. In the case of Saab’s latest fighter jet, the Gripen E, the intelligent overhaul of an existing model, with a focus on low maintenance, helps to reduce cost without compromising performance. “Our customers are not just interested in the procurement cost but also in the cost of operating the aircraft over its lifecycle,” he says. The plane is designed to perform multiple roles (fighter, attack and reconnaissance) and its hardware and software systems are easy to update, further enhancing both sustainability and affordability.

In order to continuously improve its methods, Saab examines other industries to identify ideas that can also be applied to aerospace design and manufacture. “We have looked at how the car industry is able to produce enormous numbers of cars and how similar practices could be applied to airframe manufacturing,” says Palmberg, adding that the gaming industry also provides a benchmark for sophisticated simulation techniques, similar to those used to train pilots. This cross-pollination of ideas and technologies may eventually enable the aerospace industry to accelerate the pace at which new ideas are developed and implemented.

“It is possible that one day we will see unmanned vehicles being used to transport goods, but probably not passengers because I think people would feel uneasy knowing there isn’t a pilot there to take control if something goes wrong.” Such radical proposals may seem implausible, or even controversial, but the benefits are apparent and are already being explored in various scenarios.While significant investments are being made to improve the performance and efficiency of modern aircraft and aircraft manufacture, the priority for passengers is the experience of flying, which for many has become a chore involving unintelligible online booking systems, stringent security procedures, restrictions on cabin baggage, and overcrowded airports miles out of town. London design consultancy Priestmangoode has been involved with the airline industry since working on the design of a new business class seat for Virgin Atlantic in the early 90s, and director Paul Priestman explains that they are regularly approached to overhaul the entire passenger service, from home to destination. “Flying can be a very stressful experience, and unless you can help the airline provide a complete service it doesn’t matter how beautiful the plane is,” he says. “That means taking care of everything from the website, to the cabin crew’s uniforms, and the comfort of the seat.” This level of control allows airlines to offer a consistent branded experience, while passengers benefit from a more streamlined and personal service.

From the details of the passenger experience, to much broader issues such as environmental concerns, new technologies and competition from emerging markets, the aviation industry knows that change is on the horizon. For over a century, flight has fascinated us and opened up the world, enabling the sharing of commodities and knowledge. It is now down to the airlines, their engineers and designers to develop a new generation of smarter, cleaner and more efficient aircraft that will secure a successful and sustainable future for flying.