Aviation revolution: DLR director speaks about sustainable future!

Aviation revolution: DLR director speaks about sustainable future!

Aalen, Deutschland - An exciting meeting took place at the Aalen University of Applied Sciences when Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heinz Voggenreiter, director of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), visited the institution. At the invitation of the state parliament member Winfried Mack (CDU), Voggenreiter exchanged information about the opportunities of the aerospace with representatives of regional companies and the university management. He was optimistic about the ongoing revolution in the industry that many companies, especially from the automotive sector and start-ups, offer new opportunities. He explained that a new openness to aviation sets the course for future developments.

An essential topic of exchange was the current developments in aircraft and the importance of alternative drive technologies. Voggenreiter emphasizes the need to use Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) for large long -haul aircraft. According to the European Air Safety Agency (EASA), these fuels are decisive in order to significantly reduce the climate effects of air traffic. In an impressive project, the EU under the direction of Airbus, together with the DLR and other partners, examines the best SAF variants to minimize the non-CO2 climate effects. The Pacific project is funded with around five million euros and has the goal of testing ten SAF variants with regard to their effects.

sustainability in focus

Voggenreiter also underlined the importance of the high scaling of the SAF produced quantities so that they can be offered at economically attractive prices in the future. A particularly promising approach is small satellites that offer great potential in the "Space" area. These satellite networks can generate large amounts of data and, in combination with artificial intelligence, become an important infrastructure. A concrete example of the practical application would be the prediction of the spread of forest fires in order to be able to support the fire brigade.

The DLR has been dedicated to research on alternative flight fuels since 2008. The results of so-called ECLIF campaigns show how significantly alternative fuels are for low-emission and climate-friendly aviation. In particular, the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, which enables the production of synthetic fuels regardless of fossil raw materials, are of relevance. In recent test flights, such as the use of 100% synthetic fuel for an Airbus A320, the advantages of these new technologies were impressively demonstrated.

joint efforts for a green future

The DLR works closely with other institutes and universities to understand the effects of alternative fuels more deeply. For example, at the University of Helsinki, the effects of the fuels on the formation of ice crystals are examined, and the University of Mainz calculates the climate effects of the visual condensed strips. This joint research continuously expanded the understanding of the climatic effects of aviation drives.

The perspectives for aviation are promising in view of these developments. It remains to be seen how the industry is adjusting to these changes and what progress in the integration of sustainable technologies can be achieved. Voggenreiter's visit to the Aalen University of Applied Sciences was an important step to set the course for a more climate -friendly future of aviation.