The ATTILA project is aimed at the design, manufacture and testing of an advanced testbed for aeroelastic wind tunnel testing of tiltrotor aircraft. The testbed will consist of a suitably instrumented aeroelastically scaled cantilevered half-wing with powered nacelle-proprotor system representative of the full-scale NGCTR-TD design. Advanced fiber optic sensor and contactless rotating power and data transfer techniques will be used. The design process, coupled with test iterations, is supported by detailed structural and aeroelastic simulations using a range of complementary codes. The ATTILA testbed will first be subjected to a wind-on shakedown test in the DNW LLF 6x6m test section in Froude scaled conditions. After the system functionality and structural dynamic characteristics have been verified, a second data gathering test will be performed in the NASA TDT heavy-gas transonic dynamics wind tunnel in simultaneous Froude and Mach scaled conditions, selected as subcontractor to NLR for its unique worldwide capability of meeting the full test requirements in terms of aeroelastic scaling capability, test Mach number, and model size. Testing will be performed in three mass/stiffness configurations covering 3x25 test points with test speeds up to the NGCTR-TD whirl flutter speed (at least M = 0.56). The proposed test campaign provides the highest possible fidelity experimental demonstration of the whirl flutter characteristics of the NGCTR-TD prior to high-speed flight testing in 2024-2025. Its productivity and safety will be ensured through the introduction of real-time modal damping analysis. The post-test data analysis phase includes a test-to-code correlation study in which the analytical models derived by the consortium are validated against the test results. Engaging a significant subcontractor (NASA), this 54-months €6,525,261 valued action is composed of 2 research centres (NLR, DLR), 1 non-profit foundation (DNW), 1 university (POLIMI) and 1 SME (Technobis).

CICONIA’s ambition is to improve the understanding of non-CO2 emissions with regards to the current aircraft/engine technologies and operating fleet, as well as their evolution and their climate effects, but with the clear objective to evaluate and develop impact reduction solutions covering several promising mitigation options on flight operations, through the definition of innovative dedicated Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) and their assessment in comparison to legacy operations. CICONIA wants to define and assess CONOPS solutions with engagement from all concerned stakeholders: Airlines with their OCC, Network, Met providers and Air Traffic Control. CICONIA mitigation options will offer the best proposal for reduction in climate impacts, taking into account both, the CO2 and non-CO2 climate effects. A TRL4 is targeted at the end of the 3 years project. CICONIA is composed of the four main topics: 1. A weather service that will improve weather forecasting capabilities tailored for operational mitigation concepts, provide technical enablers definition and recommendation for long term improvement that will feed a better understanding of the stakes; 2. A climate enabler that will improve climate impact assessment and models tailored for operational mitigation concepts; 3. CONOPS strategies definition: CICONIA proposes to further analyse how operational stakeholders could integrate mitigations in their plan or in their tactical operations to mitigate climate impacts. A climate enhanced operations CONOPS will be delivered and assessed with representative fast time simulation platforms, integrating weather and climate models, enabling the evaluation of a large area and long time period. These simulations will support the assessment of the complete picture from climate, economics and operational impact points of view, conducting trades on different assumptions, understanding their impact on the decision making and finally providing guidance; 4. An ATM mitigation solution through trials: Investigate multiple ATM strategies for flights to minimise or avoid persistent warming contrails, through operational trials and data analysis. This solution will focus on reducing the climate impact of non-CO2 components, specifically by minimising crossings of persistent, highly warming contrails from aircraft in oceanic airspace. CICONIA aims as well at providing material to Authorities and Regulators, to analyse the appropriate rulemaking that could serve a fair and uniformed framework to minimise non-CO2 climate effects in a global environmental centric approach addressing as well CO2. Regulations aimed at mitigating non-CO2 effects through operational measures should be proven effective from a climate benefit standpoint, fair from an economic impact on the operator's standpoint, and operationally feasible/acceptable/manageable. An Advisory Board will federate external organisations who want to take part in the CICONIA results.

PROPTER addresses the analysis and design of propellers operating in the complex flow field around a compound helicopter where a strong interaction with airframe and lifting rotor occurs. The objectives are well-thought out to ensure (i) sound understanding of the physics of the interactional flow, (ii) appropriate advancement and deployment of high-fidelity CFD methods for obtaining high confidence results, and (iii) smooth integration of the generated knowledge into the industrial environment. These objectives are referenced throughout the proposal giving a coherent chain from concept to implementation formulated to achieve the main project goal: propeller design optimized for implementation in a compound helicopter. PROPTER encompasses an analysis and design process with a wide range of physical complexity and method fidelity, from a rather simple configuration (isolated propeller) but challenging task (propeller design for multiple flight cases), to a complex configuration (propeller-rotor-airframe) involving a complex unsteady interactional flow. It deploys the best of two worlds of CFD software: (i) ENFLOW, a research code developed at NLR in various European and national research programmes, and (ii) ANSYS-FLUENT, a commercial code used at the topic leader. A code-to-code comparison, both for analysis results and design results, will give a sound understanding of the modelling and best practices applied. This forms the basis to achieve high confidence for the numerical results and their integration in the industrial environment. PROPTER consortium, National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR) and Delft University of Technology (TUD), provides complementary expertise, skill and infrastructure vital to the project’s success. To be executed in good coordination with the topic leader, PROPTER is essential to the success of the LifeRCraft project in opening up new mobility roles that neither conventional helicopters nor fixed wing aircraft can currently cover.

Challenges presented by aircraft electric propulsion requires the development of new airborne technologies that enable expanding the electrification technology trend already impacting other areas, like ground transportation or the autonomous generation/usage of electricity from renewables, to efficient and economical air transportation. Those intended technologies must be capable of producing a highly efficient, lightweight, and compact aircraft electrical system that can supply the electric power for propulsion as well as for other uses while keeping electromagnetic emissions under safe limits compatible with airborne equipment operation and human safety. In addition, they shall control heat up of the system by enhanced thermal dissipation through a proper thermal management system. With this aim, EASIER will bring together a multidisciplinary team in order to achieve the following objectives: 1. Investigating EMI filtering solutions with less volume and weight. 2. Investigating EWIS technologies with less radiated EMI, less volume and lower weight. 3. Improved heat transfer from electrical systems to the aircraft exterior. 4. Optimization of the integration of electrical systems with significant mutual impact. 5. Engagement with airframers and regulatory agencies. 6. System trade-off analysis and technology identification. 7. Roadmapping of hybrid/electric aircraft key enabling technologies in terms of EMI and thermal management. To achieve the objectives a strong partnership is established among all members of the EASIER consortium from EU and US who will collaborate following a coordinated plan, with the Industrial Advisory Board and other consortium(s) executing areas 1-3 from the call.