Funding: European (7th RTD Framework Programme)
Duration: 05/2009
- 11/2012
Transport themes:
Innovative technologies (key theme) , Air transport , Regulation, competition and public services
Outline
Funding
Contact
Background & policy context
Nowadays lightweight structures are mandatory in order to significantly reduce CO2 emissions of any aircraft. Unfortunately production cost of low weight structures are more expensive that classical structure.
Today's tail cones are made of composite materials. They are heavy, mainly because of the large number of requirements introduced by equipment integration. They are also costly due primarily to the manufacturing cost of the double curvature stiffened structure (this is partly due to assembly constraints and partly to lay up constraints).
The ADVITAC (Advanced Integrated Tail Cone) project deals with the development and production of aircraft composite structures. The tail cone has a very special position relating to aircraft systems, being both a component of the aircraft fuselage (ATA 54) and also an interface of the Auxiliary Power System (ATA 49). The ADVITAC consortium will address the key issues concerning the composite tail cone structure and subsequent APU integration.
Objectives
The consortium addresses a set of solutions regarding to the following High Level Target Concepts: the cost efficiency air transport system HLTC and the ultra green air transport system HLTC. The ADVITACproject aims at:
lowering production cost by 30% regarding to the actual composite aero structure;
lowering weight by 10% regarding to the actual composite aero structure;
specify new generation of composite architecture allowing an extensive function integration (acoustic, fireproof, electrical and strength);
significantly improve knowledge of interaction between innovative technologies allowing fully automated integrated process including automated dry perform, trough thickness reinforcement and infusion process.
Methodology
The state-of-the-art technologies in the ADVITAC project will address key project goals associated with lowered cost and lowered weight. This includes automated processes, less fully integrated structures, enhanced composite properties, new structures and architecture.
The ADVITAC consortium will provide an overview of all the set of problems concerning tail cone structure and APU integration. Significant weight and cost savings are expected after all partners issues have been consolidated in a design to cost approach.
The ADVITAC project is coordinated by Daher Aerospace (France) along with partners Coriolis Composites (France), Inasmet-Tecnalia (Spain), FFT (Belgium), NLR (The Netherlands), Recomet (Romania) and Cranfield University (UK). Embraer (Brazil) and Honeywell (USA) are involved as Observers.
TRIP is funded by the European Commission's Directorate General for Mobility and Transport under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7).