“DisruptiveLab”
Airbus is testing a lighter-weight aircraft with a new architecture. Tomasz Krysinski, head of Research & Innovation, gave the presentation and suggested that reduced aircraft weight is critical to a 50% reduction in fuel consumption. Airbus is testing solutions focused on: • • •
Optimizing rotor and fuselage aerodynamics. Improving propulsion efficiency. Reducing draft and mass.
The other task is to work on a hybrid propulsion system that mixes thermal and electric energy. Included in the hybrid propulsion system is: •
•
Purchasing decisions are being made in the following manner: • 74% is the demand for replacement. •
26% is for growth.
• 55% of the 2022 fleet is expected to stay in service until 2042. •
16% is the expected increase for the world helicopter fleet.
• 82% of the value of the 20-year forecast for civil and para- public deliveries per H/C class are twin-engine helicopters.
Demand drivers for helicopter size are the following: • Twins for EMS, PBA, and public services. • •
Mixing thermal and electric energy with optimizing fuel for consumption.
Electric motors providing power reversibly to the drive system or supplying batteries in a generator mode. • A CO2 decarbonization effort.
Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, said, “The DisruptiveLab goes another step further in Airbus Helicopters’ ambitious strategy to reduce the environmental impact of its helicopters and to lead the way towards a sustainable aerospace industry.”
Other improvements include aerodynamic aluminum, an improved fuselage, and more composites in the aircraft, including on the tail rotor. Finally, the company has created a more compact rotor to reduce the noise level of the blades.
“The innovative architecture and the fully parallel hybrid propulsion system could only really be tested on a brand-new demonstrator to verify the combined impact in CO2 reduction, which could be as much as 50%,” Even added.
The potential upsides are: •
Emerging regions.
• The energy segment. •
Developing countries. Mediums for public services, commercial, and energy.
Super mediums and heavies for public services, energy, and aerial works.
Market Forecast Briefing
CEO Even and President Romain Trapp of Airbus Helicopters provided a market forecast. The presentation started with positive reflections by Even. He said the helicopter market is strong, and over 20 years Airbus expects to deliver 16,200 helicopters worth 120 billion euros (approximately $130 billion).
The helicopter market is recovering and private and business aviation is growing, Even said, with the civil market exceeding pre- pandemic levels. They noted that major public decisions for the civil market were postponed from 2022 to 2023. They are seeing the energy market rebound and have high hopes for this year.
Geographically, they said North America and Western Europe are the only regions achieving pre-pandemic levels. Fleet growth is driven by Asia/Pacific (+33%) and Latin America (+18%), with the mature North American market growth coming in last. The light twin-class fleet is growing at the fastest pace, up 22%.
Regarding size, super mediums like the H175 are going above pre-pandemic levels for the energy market.
Photo by Airbus Helicopters
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