Europe's Clean Sky Program Proceeds with Demonstrators

Europe's Clean Sky aerospace research program is moving to the demonstration phase, with several projects targeted at business aviation and rotorcraft. Next year, a diesel engine is expected to power an Airbus Helicopters EC120 light single, in lieu of the usual Turbomeca Arrius 2F turboshaft. The effort is targeting a 30-percent cut in fuel burn.

In the first quarter of 2016, a Dassault Falcon 7X is slated to fly with active flow control technology for improved high-lift performance, both on flaps and as a slat replacement. In 2019, AgustaWestland is planning to fly a second-generation civil tiltrotor, larger than the in-development AW609 and capable of 300 knots. Last year, Turbomeca kicked off Clean Sky's demonstrations with the Tech800 turboshaft core, aimed at the 1,000-shp class.

According to Clean Sky executive director Eric Dautriat, the program is bridging the gap between laboratory research and actual product development. “Technology readiness levels between four and six used to be a death valley, where promising ideas were shelved,” he said.