Within the OpAL project (Operational Impact of New Propulsion Systems in Aviation), the FSR is working with various industrial partners to investigate the operational effects of new propulsion technologies for aircraft, which are regarded as key technologies for sustainable and environmentally friendly aviation.
Background
The OpAL project, which was launched in January 2023, is looking at the operational impact of innovative propulsion technologies, in particular hydrogen and batteries, on aviation. The aim is to investigate the integration of these technologies into the existing air transport systems and to identify necessary adjustments to operational processes. This includes both technical and regulatory aspects in order to fulfil safety and efficiency requirements. The study aims to overcome the challenges arising from the specific characteristics of hydrogen and rechargeable batteries and to promote the social acceptance of future mobility concepts.
Goal
The objectives of the project include analyzing and evaluating future aircraft configurations that use hydrogen or batteries as their primary energy source. Potential aircraft configurations will be analyzed as part of the technical feasibility study. The results of this analysis include the identification of technical characteristics, possible hazards and the derivation of regulations that are relevant for the integration of these technologies.
In addition, the focus is on operational processes and the development of new approach and take-off procedures. It will be analyzed how regulatory requirements can influence the training standards for pilots and ground operations. At the same time, emission- and noise-reduced approach and take-off procedures are being optimized, which are made possible by the use of the new propulsion systems. These objectives aim to lay a solid foundation for the future introduction of new aircraft configurations.
