Objectives

“Clean Sky” will address all the necessary technological domains that can contribute to meeting its objectives.

Reduction of fuel consumption (CO2) and NOx emissions

CO2 emissions are directly linked to the fuel consumption cycle. CO2 reduction can be achieved through a combination of solutions from complementary technological domains:

• More efficient engines, consuming less fuel whilst producing less NOx at the different operational regimes.
• Aerodynamics improvement: Improved lift / drag through new aerodynamics design and flow control technologies.
• Aircraft weight reduction, through new structural design concepts, load control and new materials.
• Mission management, through new mission profiles, from gate to gate, optimised with regard to the overall fuel consumption.
• Energy management optimisation, through the “all electrical aircraft” concept, increased efficiency of all components in the power management and distribution system.

These technological domains may bring other benefits; the reduced rate of use of fossil fuels will help reduce the current uncertainty in fuel availability and price.

Perceived external noise

Perceived noise can be reduced by:

• Reduction of noise emitted by the engine• Reduction of noise generated by the air flow around the aircraft (including notably landing gears for aircraft, and rotor for helicopters)
• Definition of optimised take-off, approach and landing and taxiing profiles and procedures, allowing human population to be avoided in the airport vicinity.
• Low weight technologies.

"Ecolonomic" life cycle

The optimisation of environmental impact of aircraft for their complete life cycle will be achieved in considering the four phases of the aircraft life:

• Aircraft design
• Aircraft production
• Aircraft operations
• Aircraft withdrawal: dismantling, recycling, reuse, elimination, storage

“ecolonomic” = ecological and economical/affordable