Tag Archives: aviation

9 November 2022
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Making flying green

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Nowadays aviation has a reputation for being not eco-friendly. And that’s actually right. It is the major factor of green hose gases emission which are causing climate changes. And now when a situation is becoming critical more and more people are looking for more sustainable ways of transport. That’s why aviation is also changing to address this trend.

Changes are coming

Luckily for us there are some big changes in the development process. Hopefully in next few decades we will see aviation become more eco-friendly. Here are some ways how to deal with that problem:

1.Hydrogen fuel

There is no doubt that planes are one of the biggest factor of air pollution. According to some data aviation is currently responsible for 3.6% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why engineers are working on making air travel more eco-friendly. It seems that the best solution would be to change kerosene so called jet-A1 fuel to hydrogen. Researchers show that this way of propulsion would have three times higher energy-per-unit that the traditional way. That means that planes using hydrogen would be able to carry hundreds more passengers per flight than traditional ones without polluting any CO2 to the atmosphere.

However there are some major issues to overcome. In order for Europe to fully achieve the benefits of hydrogen powered planes the production of clen hydrogen needs to be significantly increased. There is also absolutely no infrastructure on airports to store and mange this fuel. What’s more there are no planes that are adapted to this technology. Even though airbus states that around 2035 they will introduce the first zero emission plane.

2. Changes in the plane design

In addition to hydrogen fuel engineers are working o a new so called wing blended design. It combines the wing and the fuselage into a single unit, so the entire aircraft provides the lift for the flight. So that it will use according to same data 20% less fuel. It would also work perfectly with the hydrogen because of larger fuselage space. This has a particular relevance these days when aircraft manufactures are considering potential switch to hydrogen, which needs to be stored somewhere for long-haul flights.

There are already some proposals from aircraft manufactures and airlines how such planes might look like. One such proposal is from KLM which are working with the Delft university on a flying-V project. It would be a long-haul, high-capacity aircraft. With its blended design, it would be shorter than the airbus A350 but have a similar wingspan which is important for airport operations.

3.Pilot’s importance in going green

You might think that making flying more sustainable depends only on introducing new technologies such as hydrogen, mentioned above. But that’s not true. Even now pilots can do small things to save on fuel therefore also on C02 emission which even after introduction of flying-V or Hydrogen will have a good impact on reducing carbon emission. Here are some ways how pilots can improve their performance:

  • better flight preparation – that means taking less fuel for the route of course in safety limits
  • taxi with one engine – which obviously means to use one engine during both taxi in and taxi out to save up on fuel as well as on maintenance cost.
  • Minimizing APU use on ground – that means using the available ground infrastructure instead of the APU to prepare the cabin

Video

To sum up, making flying more eco-friendly is very important for our earth. In my opinion switching to hydrogen will be a massive game changer in the aviation industry. If we really want to change something we should introduce all ways mentioned above and as a result we will slow down climate changes and improve the condition of our planet.

Below you have two videos illustrating two concepts how the future zero emission planes might look like. Let me know in the comments if you would like to board such a plane.

Sources:

Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2022/02/04/what-is-the-future-of-air-travel/?sh=61699fd94787

Ec.europa: https://ec.europa.eu/research-and-innovation/en/horizon-magazine/quiet-and-green-why-hydrogen-planes-could-be-future-aviation

Airbus.com: https://www.airbus.com/en/innovation/zero-emission/hydrogen

Simpleflying: https://simpleflying.com/blended-wing-design/

Openairlines: https://blog.openairlines.com/5-fuel-savvy-tips-every-pilot-should-know

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1 November 2022
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Artificial Intelligence in aviation industry

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Since the first commercial flight which was in 1919 a lot has changed. Initially all of the things associated with flying were planned and done manually. Now when AI exists many of those tasks can be done automatically which results in improvement of both passengers and the air traffic flow. This technology can be also used in supporting ground services.

Why airlines and airports collect so much data?

Nowadays a lot of data is gathered in the aviation industry. It’s not only about technical aspects of planes and traffic management but also about passengers satisfaction. As we know customers in this case travellers are in this industry are the most important factor, because of how much money they spend every month or a year on flying. That’s why airlines and airports are now putting pressure on collecting feedback from passengers to improve their services.

How airlines use AI and Data Science to improve services?

With so much data gathered airlines can introduce it to various AI systems to get the work done for them, which is faster more accurate and definitely more convenient. There are many ways of using AI but let me focus on 4 that are in my opinion the most interesting to know about.

1.Predictive maintenance

For a long time airlines are struggling with a problem of flight delays or cancellations due to unplanned maintenance works. If something like that happens they are obliged to pay compensations for passengers that are stuck in airports. That’s why they have introduced predictive AI system which helps to monitor the health of specific parts in an aircraft. It also suggests mechanicians when such a part will need to be changed and how long it takes to do so. What’s more predictive algorithms can predict potential failures on a plane before they actually happen. With this predictive maintenance applied airline can reduce it expenses significantly. However AI can only assists in the maintenance process, but it won’t replace essential aircraft inspections.

2.In-airport self-service

In this area Covid 19 has changed a lot. Pandemic has speeded up the development process of self-service devices such as self-check-in machines. But that were the first steps in making a passengers trip automated. Today, airlines provide solutions that allow passengers to travel with using self-use devices from checking to boarding. For example during security check technology analysis your face and comperes it with the scan of your document that you need to put on a scanner. What’s more it also checks if you aren’t chased by a police. All those technologies are made to reduce the check in time and to improve passengers satisfaction. However traditional ways will still exist.

3.Flight and fuel optimalization

As you already know flight delays might be very costly for airlines, that’s why there are doing everything to avoid such situations. It’s not easy to plan and schedule everything considering all aspects connected with flight such as weather conditions and air traffic flow. Now AI analyses real time data such as traffic flow, weather conditions, turbulence and many other variables so that dispatchers can make better decisions. It is also meant to find optimal flight routes to decrease the amount of emission of carbon dioxide and also to reduce the fuel consumption.

4.Dynamic ticket pricing

If you ever booked a flight ticket you might have noticed that prices differ day after day. It differs because of many variables such as: departure time, destination, flight distance, and the number of available seats. The cost of the same ticket can change minute by minute. That’s because of airlines use AI system which is called dynamic pricing. It’s a technique of setting new prices so that they are the most profitable, unfortunately only for airlines.

Video

To sum up shortly AI is a tool that helps airlines to reduce their costs and improve their services. However it won’t always be the main way of dealing with problems in some aspects of aviation. Personally i think it enchances the way of traveling for passengers.

Let me know what are your thoughts. If you want to find out more about AI use in aviation industry i recommend you watching this video from altexsoft.

Sources:

altexsoft: https://www.altexsoft.com/blog/engineering/ai-airlines/

addepto: https://addepto.com/blog/fly-to-the-sky-with-ai-how-is-artificial-intelligence-used-in-aviation/

photo: https://www.topaviationsites.net/news/how-to-finance-an-aviation-business/

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15 October 2022
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Software

The new era in communication beetwen pilots and ATC controllers

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Since the beginning of aviation communication between pilots and ATC controllers takes place by an use of radio waves. Currently there are only 2280 frequencies of communication. However due to the constant increase in air traffic it’s not enough, they have become congested and cumbersome in communication.

But what has really changed?

Nowadays despite traditional way of voice communication pilots and controllers have an option of using system called CPDLC what stands for Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications. It is a two-way data-link system by which controllers can transmit non urgent but strategic messages such as: level change, speed assignments, vectoring and many other various requests of information. It is also dedicated for ground services to communicate about technical things. For instance pilot can ask ground control on the destination airport for an additional services during a stop on an airport tarmac. The Main purpose of that system is to reduce the workload of controllers by letting them execute frequent commands without occupying a frequency. In initial experiments it is believed that about 84% of voice communication has been reduced.

But how it actually works?

It involves the use of pre-formatted messages which allows both pilots and controllers to send messages. The use pre-formatted options increase the efficiency and also reduces the chance for an error. In addition to that there is also a free text option so that any other information’s or requests can be made.

Putting it simply, if the pilot wants to change altitude to a higher flight level he would need to ask it for on a radio earlier. Currently he just has to press a few buttons and then wait for a controller to allow or refuse him to do so.

The advantages of CPDLC

Each system is made for some purpose. The main idea of CPDLC is to help controllers manage the air traffic so that they workload will be reduced. The advantages that CPDLC provides are:

  • Increased ATC efficiency by reducing the workload
  • A reduction in possible misunderstandings due to language barriers
  • The possibility of a few communications at the same time thereby increasing speed of it
  • Sending the same command to multiple planes at the same time

Concerns about safety

Of course there are also some concerns about using this system such as giving for example two commands for one plane at the same time in separate messages which might cause that one of them won’t be seen by pilots. Also the use of CPDLC reduces pilot’s awareness, because they cannot follow other aircraft communication. Last but not least there is always an option to send wrong message to an aircraft or transmit it to the wrong one. However all of that problems are not really an issue if properly addressed.

If you want to learn something more feel free to ask any questions connected with aviation. I also recommend you watching this short video to get the better understanding about this system.

Sources:

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25 November 2018
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Have science fiction spaceships just become a reality?

Reading Time: 2 minutesRecently, MIT engineers have designed and built an electric airplane with no moving parts. The absence of turbines and propellers is possible thanks to “ionic wind”, which occurs when ions generated by the thruster on the aircraft collide with air molecules and propel the plane forward. This ground-breaking machine makes virtually no sound and is powered entirely by battery.

Source: MIT

The airplane made by MIT engineers has a 5 meter wingspan and weighs only 2.45 kilograms. Steven Barrett and his team have been working on this design since 2009. Barrett has said that the science fiction phenomenon, Star Trek, which he often watched during his childhood, greatly inspired him when developing the aircraft. Is it possible that the spaceships we have seen in Star Wars and Star Trek can soon become more than just geeks’ fantasies? While Barrett’s design has still got a long way to go, especially when compared to the USS Enterprise, Millennium Falcon or TIE Fighter, it is still a fantastic accomplishment.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/nov/21/first-ever-plane-with-no-moving-parts-takes-flight

In theory, Ionocrafts could be a game-changer in transportation of cargo and people. Still, one has to remember a revolution is still many years away. The aircraft was tested on a distance of about 60 metres, in a closed gym, under close supervision. Still, Barrett and his team have repeated the test 10 times and found that enough ions have been produced to sustain flight the entire time.

Source: Nature YouTube channel

What struck me the most is the fact that the concept of ionic wind propulsion has been around for quite some time –  it was mentioned as far back as 1709, when an English scientist Francis Hauksbee published Physico-Mechanical Experiments on Various Subjects, and in the 1920s by Thomas Townsend Brown, whose research and work have influenced further discoveries. But it was not until the 1960s, when Russian pilot Alexander Prokofiev de Seversky introduced his idea of Ionocraft , that it became to feel more realistic. Still, it was not until earlier this week, in November 2018, that an actual prototype was built and tested.

Source: http://www.doctorkoontz.com/Antigravity/Townsend_Brown/Thomas%20Townsend%20Brown%20Scientific%20Notebooks,%20Vol_%201.htm

 

Sources:

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612451/an-electric-plane-with-no-moving-parts-has-made-its-first-flight/

https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/mit-plane-no-moving-parts/

http://news.mit.edu/2018/first-ionic-wind-plane-no-moving-parts-1121

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionocraft

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181123135137.htm

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/nov/21/first-ever-plane-with-no-moving-parts-takes-flight

 

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