Europeans Test Fly Greener, Quieter Aircraft

BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 23, 2004 (ENS) - European research projects to reduce aircraft noise and fuel consumption are zooming along at full speed. A consortium of 51 companies is testing new technologies to reduce aircraft noise by up to six decibels by 2008.

Noise is now considered a serious health hazard, not just a nuisance, with a third of Europeans experiencing noise levels that disturb sleep. The European Commission says current research programs expect a reduction in noise to halve jet noise within the next decade.

European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin said, “Through EU funding and cooperation within the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe technology platform, Europe’s key aircraft manufacturers, research institutes, universities and small-to-medium-sized enterprises are working together to create cheaper, cleaner and quieter aircraft."

Noise from the increasing number of aircraft in European skies is a health hazard. (Photo courtesy FreeFoto)

Part of the program is one of Europe’s largest noise reduction research ventures, known as Silence. Over four years researchers are assessing noise reduction technologies based on cost, weight and performance.

These tests include low-noise fans, novel intake liners, bypass and hot-stream liners, nozzle jet noise suppressers, active control techniques and airframe noise reduction technologies.

The EU is contributing half the funding for Silence, which has a total budget of over €110 million.

Other initiatives include Friendcopter, to reduce helicopter engine and rotor-blade noise; Tango, to create lighter aircraft structures; EEFAE, to build aero-engines that reduce fuel consumption and emissions; and Awiator, to decrease aircraft structural weight, reduce noise and improve performance.

The Friendcopter project aims to provide engine and cabin noise reduction, low-noise flight procedures, noise-absorbing engine inlets, methods to identify cabin noise leaks, control technology to reduce rotor noise, vibration and fuel consumption and a model rotor for testing in a wind tunnel at Mach speed.

One of the research targets is helicopter noise. (Photo courtesy FreeFoto)

Four aircraft sections are being tested to help improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

The five year EEFAE project, involving all major European aero-engine companies and a number of universities, will build and test aero-engine technologies to reduce fuel consumption, emissions and costs and also improve reliability.

It will test technologies for use in new three-shaft engines, a geared turbofan engine and inter-cooled recuperative aero engine, to be available for use from 2008 to 2015.

By integrating advanced technologies into new fixed-wing configurations, the Awiator project expects to improve the efficiency of aircraft by improving performance and making them lighter.

The European Commission estimates that more than 500 researchers from all 25 EU member states are working on these projects.