CIRA is strongly supporting Alenia Aermacchi , GRA ITD leader, approach for future regional concepts. Indeed in order to be as much as possible 'green' the next regional a/c generation should match stringent requirements with respect to weight reduction and energetic efficiency, granting at the same time high operative performances and drastic reduction of wasted time and related congestions. This optimization of the overall system (ATS) will deeply contribute to cut all polluting emissions, including noise too. To overcome such a challenge aircrafts shall be totally reshaped marking a discontinuity with respect to the current configurations and offering new structural solutions for innovative technologies and systems integration such as engines, avionics, landing gears, high lifting.

Through the use of advanced automatic manufacturing tools and experts on materials CIRA is setting up high innovative solutions for 'ad‐hoc' designed materials (nano‐materials, integrated solutions with multi‐layers and multi‐functional approach) able to grant, beside the general objective of weight saving and required structural strength, also specific properties (e.g. electrical or sound insulation, etc.) in order to meet current stringent safety and environmental standards. A large support in mechanical and NDI testing was ensured to all GRA members, characterizing different materials and design concepts.

Specific sensors embedded in the structure, in particular in the composites matrices, are considered as enhanced solution, in order to monitor in real time the health status of the structure. The general aim is to reduce MRO time schedules, that's meaning to reduce related costs, both operative and wasted for ground stuck, but mainly to experience the upstream effect of proposing new advanced design criteria for weight saving, taking into account the improved safety prediction capabilities.

Apart from the engines, considered as a closed system, main aircraft noise sources are the high lift devices and landing gears. Indeed CIRA is developing specific integrated airframe solutions for high lift devices, coupling innovative material and concepts with optimized aerodynamic/aeroacoustic design, aimed at improving aerodynamics performances whilst reducing the generated noise. Such systems will grant both the adequate lift in the critical ground proximity phases and a general noise reduction, enabling less noisy take‐offs and landings nearby urban residential areas.

Alenia Aermacchi and CIRA are also developing and analyzing integrated and innovative design solutions for external equipments such as landing gear systems, in order to prevent the triggered noxious turbulences and the consequent induced noise, of which actually the contribution during landing approaches is quite relevant.

As previously anticipated also the whole innovative configurations, integrating the abovementioned advanced technologies and systems (low emissions engines, electric avionics, smart and eco materials, etc.) coupled with an optimized management of flight operations will consistently contribute to the overall ATS eco‐compatibility, sustainability and safety. At cruise regime in order to improve the total efficiency induced drag has to be reduced, as source of high consumptions, e.g. through dedicated flow control means. Basic idea is to get laminar fluxes all over the wing, thus reducing turbulence energy dissipation. Specific tests aimed at improving laminar wing design were performed within CIRA small transonic tunnel PT1, able to reproduce basic and preliminary effects at approximately low costs with respect to real size simulations. Indeed CIRA is closely collaborating with Alenia Aermacchi to the development of breakthrough design solutions on the future regional aircrafts, such as the Open Rotor or advanced systems efficient integration and performance.

New generation of WIPS (Wing Ice Protection Systems) are under development by ITDs coordinators, based on electric supply (e.g. GRA All Electric Aircraft, SGO), ensuring reduced power systems and weights.

Atmospheric factors as icing phenomena are also intrinsically relevant for the safety of the aircraft itself. Therefore the future aircrafts will be equipped with integrated advanced prevention and control systems for ice, gusts, and other general external hazardous factors. In this field CIRA is showing advanced and recognized competencies, owning the largest European facility for ice generation and accretion simulation, the IWT‐Icing Wind Tunnel. Both technologies and complex systems at real scale, can be tested and validated during the certification phase reproducing real flight conditions at a ‐40° C with ice generation, according to the very stringent requirements demanded by the international authorities (EASA, FAA). CIRA is also developing technologies supporting advanced automatic pilot system for the aerodynamic forces control /optimization (e.g. gusts or turbulence / energy save) . A dedicated flying lab FLARE is available for specific systems tests.

 Ludovico Vecchione Aerospace Vehicles, Division Manager Marcello Kivel Mazuy Cira Plus Cluster, Project Manager