The University of Nottingham has secured £9.5m of funding to develop breakthrough aerospace technologies for leading European manufacturers designing the next generation of aircraft.
Eight large projects, funded by the Clean Sky 2 Joint Technology Initiative, will be formally launched by the University at the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA2016) on 12 July.
The eight-year Clean Sky 2 programme aims to develop ‘green’ technologies inside aircraft to increase their environmental performance, reduce noise and result in more fuel-efficient air travel.
Participating Nottingham researchers will develop technologies for More Electric Aircraft, High Lift Device for Compound Helicopters and Wing Ice Protection technologies, among many others. They will work closely with aerospace leaders such as Airbus, Airbus Helicopters, Dassault Aviation, Leonardo Aircraft, Liebherr, Rolls-Royce and Safran.
Professor Pat Wheeler, Director of Clean Sky activities at The University of Nottingham, said: “We enjoy working closely with our industrial colleagues and thrive by performing exciting work that challenges established norms to deliver new solutions to advance technology and deliver innovations that will help our partners.”
The University won several open competitions to participate in the Clean Sky 2 JTI, which is funded jointly by the European Commission and member organisations from the public and private sectors.
Setting the agenda for the future of aerospace
The Nottingham Clean Sky 2 portfolio will sustain more than 30 researchers and technical staff working in state-of-the-art facilities in Nottingham; and with industrial partners based in France, Germany, Italy and the UK.
The official launch ceremony will take place at The University’s stand in the Innovation Zone at FIA2016. Eric Dautriat, Executive Officer of the Clean Sky Joint Undertaking is presenting the University with a plaque confirming its status as a Member of the Clean Sky Joint Undertaking.
He said: “It is especially important for Universities and Research Centres to be proactive in setting the agenda for future aerospace innovations and to help industry to develop these and push the boundaries of knowledge so that we can reduce noise, emissions and make European Aerospace companies more competitive to deliver jobs and growth.”
University’s research excellence in aerospace
Professor Jessica Corner, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Transfer at Nottingham, said: “The University has a long standing reputation for research excellence in aerospace engineering, which dates back to the 1950s, when we performed our first piece of work with Rolls-Royce.
“We are proud of this heritage and our skills and capabilities have evolved significantly in recent times due to large publically funded projects like Clean Sky, which allow us to deliver excellent research with impact.”
Nottingham secured research bids of €10.5m from the first Clean Sky JTI for projects such as the green taxi motor which is attached to a plane’s wheel and helps move the plane into position for taxiing instead of using the engine to save fuel. This innovation won a Knowledge Exchange and Impact Award 2016 at the University and is on display on the stand at Farnborough.
Aerospace undergraduate programme launches at Farnborough
The University of Nottingham is also promoting new aerospace MEng and BEng undergraduate degree programmes at Farnborough International Airshow this week.
The Aerospace Engineering undergraduate degrees have their first intake this September and will build upon the University’s impressive track record in aerospace research and teaching.
The degree will provide students with the opportunity to learn about aerospace engineering from leading academics, spend a year working in industry, and give them access to cutting-edge facilities such as the University’s Aerospace Technology Centre.
Supported by the University’s internationally-renowned Institute for Aerospace Technology, the programme has been developed with significant input from a number of industrial partners to ensure students are well equipped for future employment in the sector.
Organisations that the University works with include Airbus Group; BAE Systems; Rolls-Royce Boeing; GE Aviation; Liebherr; and Leonardo as well as many small- and medium-sized enterprises.
The course will welcome its first cohort of students in October 2016. Staff will be on hand for the three public days (15-17 Jul) at Farnborough Airshow, on The University of Nottingham stand, Innovation Zone (Hall 3), to talk about the new course offerings.
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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham has 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with a “distinct” approach to internationalisation, which rests on those full-scale campuses in China and Malaysia, as well as a large presence in its home city.’ (Times Good University Guide 2016). It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK among graduate employers and was named University of the Year for Graduate Employment in the 2017 The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide. It is ranked in the world’s top 75 by the QS World University Rankings 2015/16, and 8th in the UK for research power according to the Research Excellence Framework 2014. It has been voted the world’s greenest campus for four years running, according to Greenmetrics Ranking of World Universities.
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