SAECA

Systems Aspects of Electric Commercial Aircraft (SAECA)

(More) electric commercial aircraft show the promise of providing multiple benefits to air transportation. Because of their reduced dependence on oil these benefits will be both economic and environmental. In particular, decreased noise levels and potentially faster turnaround times offer the prospect of increased airport capacity.

To date the majority of studies of more electric aircraft have focused on individual technologies and how they are integrated into a viable aircraft. These studies represent an essential first step, but it is important to recognise that aircraft operate within the wider context of an interconnected airport network.

The SAECA project will make a preliminary exploration of the electric airport network at an operational level and also consider how we transition from the airport of today to the electric airport of the future. This will require an analysis of operational, economic, energy, and environmental opportunities and challenges, within single type and mixed fleets.

This is a demanding challenge and the main aim of SAECA is set a clear roadmap for tackling it and bring together the right set of partners to solve it. SAECA will be reaching out to academics, industry and operators who will be kept informed of progress and invited to contribute at workshops.

It is funded by EPSRC through an Institutional Sponsorship Award to University College London, and performed in collaboration with the University of Southampton, the University of Cambridge, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.