Airbus has revealed the initial design concepts behind its next-generation single-aisle aircraft, as it develops a successor for its best-selling A320 Neo family of jets and focuses on decarbonisation.
Over a two-day Airbus Summit in Toulouse this week, the world’s biggest plane maker highlighted proposals on key technology for the new aircraft, including propulsion systems, wing design, advanced composition materials, electrification, automation and connectivity. This is part of aviation's “fourth revolution” to make flying more sustainable, Airbus executives said.
“We cannot do it with incremental optimisation, this will come with disruption, this will come through clean sheet design,” Bruno Fichefeux, head of future programmes at Airbus, told the innovation summit.
The new aircraft, which will be able to fly entirely on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), will target a 20 per cent to 30 per cent fuel-burn reduction compared with the models flying today, thanks to developments in wing design, engines and systems.
“It’s a research and technology phase, where we mature many technologies, and when we combine them together we need to look at what are the best trade-offs – which paths do we open, which do we close? We are not there yet,” Mr Fichefeux said.
Lighter but stronger advanced composite materials will be used to build lighter aircraft, allowing for a “substantial” reduction in mass. That will lead to an increase in fuel efficiency.
Folding wings
Longer, thinner and narrower wings will be another feature of the new narrow-body. To ensure the aircraft fits into existing airport gates, it will also feature folded wing-tips. The design draws on principles of “biomimicry”, where engineers study and imitate the flight of birds. Mimicking the flight of the albatross, the aircraft will have a longer wingspan in flight, increasing lift and reducing drag.
The Airbus Wing Of Tomorrow programme in the UK is designing the technology to fold the wings.
One of the big challenges is making sure that the folding wing system works reliably, ensuring that they are aerodynamically and structurally efficient. This is important given that today the Airbus A320 family aircraft takes off or lands every two seconds, said Sue Partridge, head of Wing of Tomorrow programme and UK country manager at Airbus.
“The demand for single-aisle aircraft is huge today and will be huge in future, so we need to make our aircraft and wings at high rate and at cost that's sustainable for our business,” she said. “Industrialisation of our new technologies is absolutely key.”
The programme has completed two of three full-scale wing demonstrators. “As for our folding wing technology, we are putting that through its paces today in our test centres,” said Ms Partridge.
Engine tests by end of decade
For the engines, Airbus is exploring several options, but the main contender is the open fan engine concept, in which fan blades that generate thrust are larger and not contained by a nacelle, the cowling that contains the fan in current-generation engines. This allows air to move efficiently through the engine, reducing fuel consumption, Airbus said.
Engine maker CFM, a joint venture between France's Safran and GE Aerospace, is working on the Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) open fan engine demonstrator, which aims to show how this technology could reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 20 per cent compared with current single-aisle aircraft.
Airbus is planning to perform flight tests of the open fan engine on a modified A380 flying test bed by the end of the decade, it said.
The open fan engine is “much more rewarding, much more challenging and much more revolutionary” than the “evolutionary” ducted fan engines, Frank Haselbach, senior vice president of propulsion engineering at Airbus, told the summit.
“We would like the open fan to succeed,” he said. “It shows the biggest potential for the future … but clearly we have to look at our options.”
Christian Scherer, chief executive of the commercial aircraft business of Airbus, said the “jury is out” for the engine technology decision. Airbus will pursue a product that “offers a step-change in economics and environmental signature,” he added.
At an aircraft engine's bypass ratio of 15 or 16, the benefits of a large fan are wiped out by the additional drag created by a very big duct, Mohamed Ali, senior vice president and chief technology and operations officer at GE Aerospace, told the summit. The current bypass ratio on jet engines is at 11 to 12, so that point is not too far.
An open fan design can take the bypass ratio up to 60. “That is the fuel burn opportunity that we are thrilled and excited about,” he added.
A bypass ratio is a key measure of the efficiency and performance of jet engines, referring to the ratio of air bypassing the engine core versus air passing through it.
During the summit, Airbus showcased the concept of a tube-and-wing aircraft that could have either wing-mounted or rear-mounted open fan engines.
Electrification, automation and hybrid-electric propulsion, which supplements the use of conventional jet fuel or SAF with electricity from batteries or fuel cells, are some of the areas Airbus is working on.
“Imagine for one second that we have an aircraft that could onboard during its life-cycle all the technologies that will improve step by step … it will be a game-changer, radically different,” said Karim Mokaddem, head of aircraft of tomorrow research and technology at Airbus. But he acknowledged that “what is in front of us is a huge mountain of challenges, of unknowns”.
Certifying new architecture
Airbus is currently working on “aerodynamic and structural integration” to adapt the aircraft to the open fan engine that will change the plane's aerodynamics and noise levels, Mr Haselbach said.
“We have to adapt the aircraft to that new engine architecture,” he said.
Airbus is also looking “very carefully” at the testing and certification of the new architecture, he added. This includes component tests being conducted now, full-scale ground tests in Ohio later on, and then demonstrating the engine compliance on an A380 flying test bed for propulsion.
Hybridisation, or combining different energy sources instead of relying solely on jet fuel, is another area of work for Airbus, said Mr Haselbach.
The next-generation single-aisle aircraft will use electric systems for taxiing in and out of the airport, make air-conditioning more efficient and anti-icing on the wings to reduce energy consumption, Maud Delourme, head of multi-systems engineering and integration at Airbus, told the summit.
More automation could include the use of artificial intelligence to assist pilots by automatically detecting runways and obstacles to support automatic landing and taxiing at airports, she said.
Passenger experience
“If I had to sell this aircraft to a passenger, I would simply say that it is an aircraft that is radically different in terms of fuel-consumption and therefore it is a sustainable aircraft,” Mr Mokaddem told The National on the sidelines of the summit.
The passenger experience on the aircraft will be much improved, with better connectivity onboard. “If we reach this level of hyper-connectivity, it’s an aircraft on which you will be able not only to work, but also connect and talk to your family, to see your movies,” he added. “The passenger experience will be different.”
One of the most important selling points Airbus is emphasising for airlines is the economic benefits that result from 20 per cent to 30 per cent fuel efficiency.
“We are doing all this because we already know that the added price of SAF will be huge,” he said. “And therefore, if you want to maintain the ambition of connecting people today and even more people tomorrow, we need to propose to the airline something that is reducing the cost of operation, which is likely to increase because of the SAF price. And that’s why we are focusing on the performance of the aircraft.”
Decarbonising aviation
Airbus underlined its efforts to develop new technologies for a future aircraft designed to help decarbonise aviation.
“We want to [fill] this major gap [with the current A320 model] which is not incremental, which is not optimisation,” Mr Fichefeux said. “We need to make sure that these technologies come to maturity and that we can bet our design on, and we are not there yet.
“Our target … would be to introduce an aircraft in the second half of the next decade.”
However, he conceded that “we are not there yet”, in terms of maturing the technologies.
'Gloves off' competition
Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury said the new aircraft would rely on disrupting technologies and is the “next big thing on the agenda” for the company.
He hinted that developing the next-generation single-aisle plane is likely to heat up competition with its US arch rival, Boeing.
“If you look on the other side of the Atlantic, it's not unlikely that they will look at this product as well. So, it's probably going to be a gloves-off competition for the next generation of single aisle [aircraft],” said Mr Faury.
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Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFO
Schedule (All times UAE)
First practice: Friday, 5-6.30am
Second practice: Friday, 9-10.30am
Third practice: Saturday, 7-8am
Qualifying: Saturday, 10-11am
Race: Sunday, 9am-midday
Race venue: Suzuka International Racing Course
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53
Watch live: beIN Sports HD
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
Series info
Test series schedule 1st Test, Abu Dhabi: Sri Lanka won by 21 runs; 2nd Test, Dubai: Play starts at 2pm, Friday-Tuesday
ODI series schedule 1st ODI, Dubai: October 13; 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 16; 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 18; 4th ODI, Sharjah: October 20; 5th ODI, Sharjah: October 23
T20 series schedule 1st T20, Abu Dhabi: October 26; 2nd T20, Abu Dhabi: October 27; 3rd T20, Lahore: October 29
Tickets Available at www.q-tickets.com
Stat Fourteen Fourteen of the past 15 Test matches in the UAE have been decided on the final day. Both of the previous two Tests at Dubai International Stadium have been settled in the last session. Pakistan won with less than an hour to go against West Indies last year. Against England in 2015, there were just three balls left.
Key battle - Azhar Ali v Rangana Herath Herath may not quite be as flash as Muttiah Muralitharan, his former spin-twin who ended his career by taking his 800th wicket with his final delivery in Tests. He still has a decent sense of an ending, though. He won the Abu Dhabi match for his side with 11 wickets, the last of which was his 400th in Tests. It was not the first time he has owned Pakistan, either. A quarter of all his Test victims have been Pakistani. If Pakistan are going to avoid a first ever series defeat in the UAE, Azhar, their senior batsman, needs to stand up and show the way to blunt Herath.
RESULTS: 2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPE
Albania 0 Italy 1
Finland 2 Turkey 2
Macedonia 4 Liechtenstein
Iceland 2 Kosovo 0
Israel 0 Spain 1
Moldova 0 Austria 1
Serbia 1 Georgia 0
Ukraine 0 Croatia 2
Wales 0 Ireland 1
How Beautiful this world is!
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
Results:
CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off
1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
2. Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42
4. Nadia Taryam (UAE) Askaria 3 39.63
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) Fidelius G 47.74
The%20specs
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The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
TV (UAE time);
OSN Sports: from 10am
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio
Price, base: Dh198,300
Engine: 2.0L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 280hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7L / 100km
First Person
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HIV on the rise in the region
A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.
New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.
Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.
Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.
Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
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Manchester United 2
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Match on Bein Sports
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
MATCH RESULT
Liverpool 4 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Liverpool: Salah (26'), Lovren (40'), Solanke (53'), Robertson (85')
MATCH INFO
Championship play-offs, second legs:
Aston Villa 0
Middlesbrough 0
(Aston Villa advance 1-0 on aggregate)
Fulham 2
Sessegnon (47'), Odoi (66')
Derby County 0
(Fulham advance 2-1 on aggregate)
Final
Saturday, May 26, Wembley. Kick off 8pm (UAE)
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
France 3
Umtiti (8'), Griezmann (29' pen), Dembele (63')
Italy 1
Bonucci (36')
My Country: A Syrian Memoir
Kassem Eid, Bloomsbury
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
England Test squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Racecard
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