Visit 50 years old the European aeronautics giant has been Airbus has established itself as a pioneer, thanks to its use of cutting-edge aeronautical technologies. As Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury explains: " The Airbus story is one of ambition and progress, a showcase for European integration. Over the past 50 years, the company has pioneered many firsts through its passion and innovation, transforming the industry. Airbus is the story of incredible men and women, of great achievements in the past and, above all, in the future. "
Among the aircraft manufacturer's most important innovations are centralised fly-by-wire controls, introduced with theAirbus A320and more recently theAirbus A380, which until production was halted earlier this yearwas - and will remain for a long time to come - the world's largest jumbo jet with its double-decker cabin.
But Airbus is thinking about the future. Digital technology, autonomous flight, artificial intelligence and the electrification of aircraft are all areas on which the European aircraft manufacturer is already working. Airbus is looking closely at the possibility of working on a future electric aircraft, a good way of responding to environmentalists who would like to reduce the role of aircraft because of their impact on the environment. The aircraft manufacturer believes that electric and hybrid-electric propulsion will help the aeronautics industry to achieve the objectives set out in its vision of a low-carbon future. Flightpath 2050 for aviation, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions and noise levels by 50% by 2050.
For several years now, Airbus has been working on a future model of electric aircraft. This will be a step-by-step process, starting with the possibility of a hybrid aircraft. Last year, the British government confirmed its support for theE-Fan Xthe next step on the road to full electrification. In partnership with Siemens and Rolls-Royce, it aims to test a hybrid-electric propulsion system. The E-Fan X will be 60 times more powerful than current electric motors.
Nothing like this has ever flown before
" Our aim is to replace one of the four gas turbines on a flying test bed with a 2 MW electric motor. "As Olivier Maillard, head of the E-Fan X project, explained last year at the Farnborough Air Show. " That's over 60 times more power than the previous E-Fan. Nothing like it has ever flown before ".
Earlier this month, Airbus has signed a memorandum of understanding with SAS Scandinavian Airlines concerning research into hybrid and electric aircraft, a collaboration that will last until the end of 2020. Under the terms of the MoU, Airbus and SAS will collaborate on a joint research project aimed at improving the operational opportunities and challenges associated with the large-scale introduction of hybrid and all-electric aircraft. The project will study the impact of clean energies on ground infrastructure, aircraft range, charging time and the availability of these energies at airports in particular.
Airbus is also working on the creation of winged vehicles, similar to helicopters, which could be used for fast journeys instead of cars. The company is involved in the development of the CityAirbusa multicopter vehicle a four-seater all-electric aircraft that will in future be capable of remote-controlled electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL). The full-scale CityAirbus demonstrator will begin flight tests this year.
Finally Vahanaproject, aself-piloting aircraft for one passenger, entirely electric and which would guarantee its user journey times two to four times faster than cars, with a flight speed of 100 knots (185 km/h), vertical take-offs and landings and a range of flight for inter-city travel. In less than two years, Vahana has gone from a simple sketch to a full-scale flying aircraft. The future of Airbus is all-electric...
