Comparison of alternative global and regional aircraft fleet development trends that meet ICAO LTAG and ACARE 2050 fuel consumption and emissions targets in specified aircraft classes
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The European aviation industry is committed to achieving new targets and complying with the UNFCCC Paris Agreement (2015) and the European Green Deal (2020). The approach outlined in Destination 2050 involves a combination of strategies such as the introduction of new technologies in aircraft design, including so-called disruptive technologies, operational optimization, the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), and the implementation of economic measures. The transition from fossil to decarbonized fuels is the central point of the transformation within the global aviation sector at present. Hydrogen plays a very important role in the decarbonization of aviation fuels and in-flight energy consumption. Direct refuelling of aircraft engines is also the subject of the EFACA project, which is looking at research and testing of liquid hydrogen combustion at TRL3 in future engine designs. A hybrid electric propulsion (HEP) aircraft uses a combination of traditional fuel-powered engines and electric motors to provide the thrust for the flight: electric motors will be used for take-off and landing. In contrast, conventional engines will be used in cruise flights. The degree of hybridization Hp – the ratio between the power of the electric motor and the total installed power, is now a design parameter for new HEP aircraft. The principles of aircraft emission and fuel burn analysis and assessment of the baseline aircraft in comparison with reference aircraft in the EFACA project are formulated for three levels of their evaluation – aircraft (single flight event), airport and fleet scenarios of current and future air traffic in the European perspective1. The work planned for this task is divided into the following subtasks: 1. Assessments below 3000 ft (1,000 m) – airport level; 2. Assessments over 3000 ft (1,000 m) – cruise flight level. Gap analysis in fuel/energy consumption and emission inventory assessment for the classes of aircraft at LTO and cruise levels was performed2 and provided for the four main classes of aircraft in global fleet.
