The aircraft design process is a complex task that requires the collaboration of disciplinary experts from various fields. In practice, this complexity requires a large investment in setting up communication interfaces for the exchange of disciplinary data, and serious misinterpretations are not uncommon. To increase the efficiency and robustness of data exchange, a common language is essential. As such, the Common Parametric Aircraft Configuration Schema (CPACS) serves as a central data model, which currently includes detailed parametrizations of aircraft geometry and analysis results from traditional disciplines (e.g., aerodynamics, structure, etc.). However, with the recent interest in alternative propulsion and complex on-board system architectures, CPACS is proving to be too limited to meet the needs of the various disciplinary system experts. The particular challenge here is to enable different views on the same systems, i.e., a functional/logical as well as a geometric/physical representation, without violating the principle of unambiguous data. Therefore, this paper proposes an extension of CPACS which introduces an explicit system definition covering both representations. Its potential is demonstrated by two use cases from disciplinary experts in the field of on-board system design at the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), based on data provided by aircraft design experts. Through validation against the experts’ needs, the proposed system definition proves to bridge the gap between preliminary aircraft design and on-board system design, enabling a holistic, robust and efficient aircraft design process.

The development and implementation of a collaborative framework for aviation impact assessment studies is presented. The focus is on which technologies can be used to enable the collaborative aspect, including the use of a common data model, the secure transfer of data between domain experts in different locations, and the automated execution of impact assessment workflows. It is demonstrated how the selected technologies can be extended to meet the requirements of air transport systems assessment and how they can be integrated into a common framework. The results of the developments are discussed in terms of their technical capabilities and the lessons learned from their practical use. The proposed framework shows that collaborative impact assessment studies can be conducted efficiently and securely. This forms the basis for three application studies in the same research project.

Early design phases significantly impact a system’s life-cycle costs, yet they are fraught with large uncertainties. Hence, it is important to incorporate uncertainties in preliminary design activities. However, sampling the uncertain design space instead of analyzing a single system entails a considerable computational cost. It also demands a high degree of automation. Standardized data models can significantly aid this effort by offering a structured way of storing and handling large amounts of data. Therefore, this paper proposes an uncertainty quantification (UQ) data model for dealing with probabilistic data. Its hierarchical structure has been specified using Extensible Markup Language Schema Definition (XSD). It is complemented by a library written in C and provides additional Python bindings. The proposed approach is used in a case study in which the design of a thermal protection system (TPS) of the wing profile of a reusable launch vehicle stage is assessed. The UQ data model was used to store the UQ data of the TPS design study.

The Impact Monitor Project, funded by the EU, aims to develop an impact assessment framework for European aviation. This paper uses the framework for the modelling and simulation of an impact assessment at the air transport system level, focusing on policies for the uptake of sustainable aviation fuels. It aims to demonstrate the capabilities developed by the Impact Monitor framework and its interactive dashboard application at the air transport system level.

The Impact Monitor Project is a European initiative designed to develop an impact assessment toolbox and framework, targeting the European aviation sector. The proposed framework is not only aimed at the environment, economics, and operations but also the societal impacts of new technologies and aircraft configurations. The toolbox works by setting out the key steps in the impact assessment cycle and presenting guidance, tips, and best practices. Led by DLR, the consortium includes research institutions and universities that have contributed their expertise and tools to develop the collaborative assessment toolbox and framework. The project defines three use cases by considering three assessment levels: aircraft, airport, and air transport system. This article focuses on Use Case 2 on continuous descent operations (CDOs) at the aircraft and airport levels. It describes the workflow proposal, along with the tools involved. The collaborative approach showcases integrating these tools and using collaborative strategies enabled by CPACS (Common Parametric Aircraft Configuration Schema) and RCE (remote component environment). The list of tools includes Scheduler (DLR; flight schedule simulation), AirTOp (NLR; TMA simulation), Dynamo/Farm (UPC; trajectory simulation and assessment), LEAS-iT (NLR; emissions simulation), Tuna (NLR; noise simulation), AECCI (ONERA; emissions simulation), TRIPAC (NLR; third-party risk simulation), and SCBA (TML; social and economic impact assessment). Interactions with other use cases of the project will be demonstrated via new aircraft configurations stemming from the use case at the aircraft level of the project. The results demonstrate the workflow’s feasibility, the cooperation among the tools to obtain and refine the outcomes, as well as the analysis of the operational scenario of a generic airport, CAEPport, which has been extensively used in previous Clean Sky 2 projects.