Future Of Aeronautics Research Articles

Unleashing the potential of digital twins: a new era with aeronautics 4.0

Abstract* Introduction The aerospace value chain consists of several processes, and digitizing it first requires an assessment of these processes and their ability to be transferred to the fully integrated digital thread perspective of smart factories. A digital thread refers to the continuous flow of data and information related to a product throughout its life cycle, integrating and connecting all aspects of a product’s journey. Within this framework, digital twin technology, an essential element of Industry 4.0, comprises the implementation of a virtual presentation of a physical object, system, or process. It brings together the digital replica not only of the physical attributes but also of the behavioral performance of the physical twin. Methods To achieve a digital thread perspective for aeronautics, a research agenda is proposed, including all breakpoints in the current value chain through a PESTLE Analysis, which defines the value-added areas targeted by this transition to digital technology. An aeronautics 4.0 model Digital Thread Twin Smart Aeronautics D2TSAero is proposed, which provides a new perspective in the aeronautics field by integrating its main ecosystems into an interconnected model made possible by the integration of digital twin agent instances. Proof of Concept A use case that deals with the dependability management of an aircraft fuel distribution system is presented. Based on these results, we can see that the proposed twin model can help in reducing real system parts down time, and it can also improve the management of maintenance across the system life cycle by offering a single source of trust for all stakeholders involved in the digital thread cycle of the real twin. Conclusion A forward-looking perspective on the future of aeronautics with this integrated approach is presented, summarizing all the discussed points and the importance of digital twins in supporting the digitalization of the field.

Global energy issues affecting aeronautics: a reasoned conjecture

This paper is a reasoned conjecture of the future up to 2050 AD including estimates of energy supply and consumption, transport system developments and corresponding pollution effects. Results of the logistic substitution methods (Volterra–Lotka) are used in forecasting trends in innovation, transport and energy. Later work on normative forecasts is also included. The future of aeronautics cannot be isolated from events in other transport modes which together create the major problem of crude oil replacement during the next century. Natural gas will be the dominant energy source for the next 80 years and a major question is how best to use it for aviation. The work on which this paper is based was started in 1992 to answer the following questions: 1. Is the future oil shortfall sufficient to restrict aviation traffic and growth in the next 50 years? 2. If so, what is its substitute? 3. Can a substitute be obtained cheaply enough to free aviation from future kerosine shortages? 4. Is it paramount to change to liquid hydrogen fuel to avoid future fuel shortage in aeronautics, incidentally conferring possible environmental advantages? There was no adequate evidence available to answer these questions, hence a method was devised to bring together several sets of partial data that contributed to the solution. The essence is to use the mean annual growth rate of traffic or energy over a future period as a pseudo-independent variable. This allows the inclusion of alternative high and low estimates of all the important quantities involved.

Early Development of an "Acoustic Analogy" Approach to Aeroacoustic Theory

I is a special pleasure to contribute with this brief historical paper to AIAA's celebrations of its 50th anniversary. I am, also, particularly glad that the paper gives me an opportunity to commemorate the energy and vision shown in 1949 by the late H. B. Irving, in his then position as Assistant Director of Scientific Research (Air) within Britain's government machine. Part of his job was to think about the future of aeronautics, with the object of identifying serious problems likely to arise as part of that future; and to draw attention to new research fields that needed to be opened up without delay if timely solutions to those problems were to be found. Remarkable vision was shown by Irving in recognizing so clearly, as early as 1949, that jet engines were bound to cause severe noise problems when (as must ultimately happen) they penetrated the civil transport market. This may have made him the first person in the world to identify research on jet noise and means for its reduction as a major new field of research to which effort urgently needed to be devoted. Great energy, too, was shown by Irving when he followed up that insight by a vigorous campaign waged with the object of setting up substantial research groups in this field within British university institutions. These groups (supported, where necessary, by contributions from the modest funds at Irving's disposal) were invited to pursue basic experimental and theoretical studies of the noise of jets; studies that might be usefully complementary to a large-scale program of empirical studies of jet-engine noise and schemes for its reduction initiated at Rolls Royce Ltd. Irving ensured, too, that the university groups created in this way (especially, the group including G. M. Lilley at the College of Aeronautics in Cranfield, the University of Southampton group that included E. J. Richards and A. Powell, and the University of Manchester group including myself on the theoretical side and J. H. Gerrard on the experimental side) would all take part together in frequent meetings with the outstanding Rolls Royce team under the leadership of F. B. Greatrex. These regular meetings very powerfully influenced the progress of the research work. I remember this in my own case: as the participant mainly concerned with developing theoretical approaches, I was helped by constant contact with several growing bodies of experimental data to adopt the necessary critical and selective approach to my own growing collection of theoretical ideas. The only Satisfactory theories are those that simultaneously accord with empirical data and with scientific logic!—a formidable pair of requirements. I recall Irving coming up to my attic room in the deeply blackened old Owens College building (since revealed by modern stone-cleaning technology as a charming blend of light brown and blue shades!) at Manchester University. In 1949, I was a 25-year-old Senior Lecturer in Applied Mathematics, already copiously involved in compressibleflow theory (especially, high-speed aerodynamics and shockwave dynamics). Somehow, Irving convinced me that jet noise was an exceptionally exciting theoretical challenge. I recognized that a jet was one of the classical turbulent flows, characterized to be sure by a complex pattern of vorticity; but not (according to views then current) by any dilatation. Compressibility had not been regarded hitherto as a significant factor in vortex motions or turbulence; yet it must be playing a part if any radiated sound were to result. Next morning I had to go to London, which in 1949 necessitated a four-hour train journey. Once in the train J could not stop thinking about the j£t-noise conundrum. It is, furthermore, the literal truth that the only piece of paper I had on me was the proverbial back of an envelope'M How fortunate that was. Sitting in the impersonal confines of the railway compartment, after having awakened that morning still more clearly conscious of what an exceptionally exciting theoretical problem in mechanics of fluids had been put to me, I had four hours to think about it while prevented from succumbing to the theoretician's besetting weakness; namely, rushing into filling sheets of paper with endless equations.... The essential idea of the acoustic analogy approach came before my journey's end. Iremember that the first part of the journey was entirely devoted to considering what would be the appropriate dependent variable in a system of equations to describe jet noise. I had found in many problems of compressible flow that the key to producing tractable equations was the correct choice of dependent variable. Often the pressure was an optimum choice (for example, in the aerodynamics of disturbances to a nonuniform oncoming stream). However, I soon decided against use of the pressure,

The Future of Aeronautics. John E. Allen and Joan Bruce. Hutchinson, London1970. 552pp. Illustrated. 105s.

The Future of Aeronautics. John E. Allen and Joan Bruce. Hutchinson, London1970. 552pp. Illustrated. 105s.

The Role of Competition in Aeronautics

It is a great privilege to be here before you today at this lecture which honours the memory of Wilbur and Orville Wright and all that they brought to that very favourite subject of all of us—Aeronautics. I have chosen as my topic for tonight “The Role of Competition in Aeronautics”. My thesis is that competition has been extremely important in the advancement of aeronautics through the years. Much progress has come in the heat of competition. The monetary costs of competition are small and completely overshadowed by the economic benefits accruing from competition. Competition has been the life blood of aeronautics. We must keep competition alive. My objective in this paper is to stimulate in each member of this audience a strong personal belief that competition has been a major contributor to making aeronautics what it is today and a most necessary ingredient in the future of aeronautics.

The cost of competition

FORTHRIGHT comment on the value of competition in the aerospace industry was the theme of Mr George S. Schairer, F.A.I.A.A., V.P. for Research and Development of the Boeing Company, when he gave the annual Wilbur and Orville Wright Memorial Lecture at the Royal Aeronautical Society early in December. The title of his paper was ‘The Role of Competition in Aeronautics’ and in his introduction he said that much progress had come through the heat of competition and that the monetary costs of competition were small and completely overshadowed by the economic benefits accruing from it. Competition had been the life blood of aeronautics and must be kept alive. His objective in presenting the paper was to stimulate in each member of the R.Ae.S. audience ‘a strong personal belief that competition has been a major contributor to making aeronautics what it is today and a most necessary ingredient in the future of aeronautics.’

Early Research at Farnborough and Felixstowe

The Early experimental work at the Royal Aircraft Factory, South Farnborough (as it was called then) has been described by a number of people. There was no organisation in the First World War, as there was in the Second, for the use of scientific man power. The gravitation of scientists to the Royal Aircraft Factory can, I imagine, only be explained by the attraction of working in an unexplored field. The results of the impact of this remarkable group on the future of aeronautics in this country were enormous.My own relatively late appearance at Farnborough, towards the end of 1916, was the result of a series of accidents.

The future of aeronautics

MANY contradictory pictures of air transportation in the future have been painted which vary from rosy optimism to the darker shades of pessimism. Just what may be expected realistically during the first ten years of peace?

The Position of Airships in the Future of Aeronautics

The Position of Airships in the Future of Aeronautics