Abstract. This paper illustrates a general methodology aimed at coping with the need to preliminarily assess the feasibility, cost and performance of a future commercial aviation system based on hydrogen as the in-flight energy source. The methodology is devoted to the preliminary sizing of the complex airport infrastructure needed to service hydrogen-powered airliners, namely on-site generator and liquefier, storage tank, and dispensing units, providing an optimal solution in terms of acquisition and operating costs, and eventually hydrogen cost “at the pump”. A sensitivity analysis shows how the system performs in off-design conditions, with the price of the various components needing to be shared by a smaller hydrogen production.
Lorenzo Trainelli· Materials Research Proceedin...· 0 citations
Characterizing the highly complex aero-propulsive interaction in distributed electric propulsion (DEP) aircraft may require automated flight-testing procedures with dedicated maneuvers, which introduce specific safety challenges. This paper investigates an accident involving a distributed electric propulsion research demonstrator, named SwitchMaster, during an automated flight-test mission for aerodynamic model identification. The event occurred during a scheduled pitch excitation maneuver and resulted in a loss of control followed by ground impact. The investigation is based on flight logs, telemetry analysis, and structured accident investigation methods, including the ICAO ADREP taxonomy and the Swiss Cheese Model. The results show that the accident resulted from a combination of open-loop control surface fixation, insufficient real-time safety barriers, ineffective maneuver interruption, and delayed recovery authority. Variable wind speeds and asymmetric trim acquisition are considered possible contributing factors to the aircraft drift from equilibrium conditions. This paper concludes with safety recommendations, software improvements and lessons learnt to enhance the reliability of automated flight testing for DEP aircraft.
Giorgio Filippoli, B. M. Perri, Niko Terzaroli et al.· Safety· 0 citations
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