Europe Drawing Up Plans For Future Aviation Research

Now plans are being drawn up for a second, larger research program, Clean Sky 2, to run in 2014-20. If approved, this would take technologies to higher readiness through more integrated large-scale demonstrators, as well as developing more advanced ideas for future aircraft. Proposals are to be submitted in November. With €800 million in government funding and €800 million from industry, Clean Sky is the largest aviation research program in Europe. Focused on the environment, it includes a range of ground and flight demonstrators for laminar-flow wings, fuel-efficient engines, low-emissions helicopters, more-electric systems and lightweight recyclable structures ...