RAeS lecture in cooperation with DGLR, HAW-Hamburg, VDI & ZAL

The current narrative surrounding aviation and its impact upon the environment is wholly negative. This presents a clear threat to the air transport industry and it has the potential to limit the growth that aviation needs for commercial success and the world needs in order to maintain economic growth and improved social wellbeing. 

At present, the international climate target is to keep global mean temperature rise below +2.0° C, relative to pre-industrial levels and the principal, but not the only, way of achieving this is by drastically and rapidly reducing anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, notably CO2. Unfortunately, aviation produces a lot of CO2.

Whilst, in principle at least, there are some technical solutions available for the removal of carbon from the aircraft, e.g. sustainable aviation fuels and electric aircraft, all are high risk, high cost and, above all, long term. Even in the most optimistic scenario, global aviation will not be totally decarbonised by 2050. As a result, aviation continues to be heavily criticised by environmental groups and the prospect of future government imposed “demand management” is a real possibility. This would be a disaster for the industry.

However, aviation’s impact on the environment is not limited to CO2, nor is CO2 even the largest contributor. In this lecture, the broader environmental impact of aviation will be considered. It will be shown that the aviation’s overall climate impact is currently estimated to be twice that of its CO2 effect. This may sound bad, but there is good news and this relates to the impact of contrails and contrail induced cirrus cloud. It will be argued that “contrail management” is a major weapon in the fight against climate change. If it can be supported by the right government policies, it has the potential to make a real positive contribution and, in doing so, could change aviation’s narrative from negative to strongly positive. 

Ian Poll is Emeritus Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Cranfield University and CEO of Poll AeroSciences Ltd.

He has worked in both in academia and industry and has over 50 years experience in aeronautics. In addition, he has served on a number of Government Advisory Committees. He was Chairman of the Defence Scientific Advisory Council to MoD (2011-14) and a member of the Home Office Scientific Advisory Committee and the Natural Environment Research Council (2014-18).

A Council Member of the Royal Academy of Engineering (2004-07) and a Council Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society (1996-2010), he was the RAeS’ 74th  President (2001) and President of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (2008-10).

An Honorary Fellow of the AIAA and ICAS, a Fellow of the City and Guilds Institute of London (2004), the Royal Academy of Engineering (1996) and the Royal Aeronautical Society (1987), he was awarded the OBE in 2002.

 poster_2023_03_23_DoingReallyEnough.pdf (328 KB)

 text_2023_03_23_DoingReallyEnough.pdf (1,16 MB)

Aiming Higher. 

RAeS Past President and Emeritus Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Cranfield University, Professor IAN POLL FRAeS gives a personal view on how aviation could halve its impact on the environment almost overnight if the right actions were taken.

DGLR lecture in cooperation with HAW Hamburg, RAeS, VDI & ZAL

Als 1990 das von der NASA und ESA gemeinsam betriebene Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in den Erdorbit gebracht wurde, begann eine völlig neue Ära der Weltraumforschung. Die jenseits der "störenden" Erdatmosphäre gewonnenen Bilder erweisen sich als außerordentlich scharf und detailliert, zumal das Teleskop durch Space-Shuttle-Missionen mehrfach modernisiert wurde. Die Astronomie erlangte zahlreiche neue Erkenntnisse über kosmische Objekte, Prozesse und Phänomene, die das Verständnis vom Weltall erheblich erweiterten. Ergänzend wird auf das Nachfolgeprojekt - das 2021 gestartete James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) - eingegangen, welches eine noch höhere Qualität der astronomischen Beobachtungen erzielt.

RAeS Lecture in cooperation with HAW Hamburg, DGLR, VDI & ZAL

This is a hybrid event!

Lecture in English

From his own unique perspective, as the leading founder and a director of the Lilium Company, Daniel Wiegand will review the case for eVTOL Regional Aircraft, and the journey Lilium has taken from initial student ideas, to today's substantial company. He will overview and update on some of the progress made in technology development and demonstration, agreement of certification requirements, evolution of the design, and planning for entry into service of the Lilium series production aircraft.

Daniel Wiegand is the co-founder and first CEO, serving from 2015-2022, of Lilium, developer of the world’s first electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) jet. He came up with the innovative idea while studying for his Master’s in Aerospace Engineering at the Technical University of Munich and set out on his vision to develop a more accessible and sustainable regional air travel solution. Daniel led the creation of the complex architecture for the high-speed, zero operating emissions, low noise electric aircraft, with Ducted Electric Vectored Thrust (DEVT) technology at its core.?? He continues Lilium’s vision as Chief Engineer for Innovation and Future Programs and as a member of Lilium’s Board of Directors, to take Lilium even closer to reaching the goal of making sustainable and accessible high-speed, low noise regional air mobility a reality

 poster_2023_04_20_Lilium.pdf (334 KB)

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HAW-Hamburg in cooperation with RAeS, DGLR, VDI and ZAL

Safe Landing (https://safe-landing.org) works internationally, but with a UK focus. It represents "climate concerned aviation professionals" including pilots, cabin crew, airport staff, engineers and factory operators and calls for early adoption of regulations to reduce emissions and a plan to support workers during any transition to secure their careers. Workers’ Assemblies follow the concept of deliberative democracy to advise on political and aviation company decisions. Most technical options (new aircraft and new fuels) for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from aviation have serious limitations. Hence, technology won't save us and cannot be an excuse to delay action. Nevertheless, some options are available now (!), but seem to be overlooked by industry, because they do not come handy: a) to fly lower (or higher) to reduce contrails, b) de-aromatization of fossil jet-fuel with hydrotreatment for both climate and health, c) to reduce air travel (with various measures). More information in poster.

Finlay Asher graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a Master in Mechanical Engineering (MEng). He spent seven years at Rolls-Royce working on aircraft engine design. Finlay runs now 'Safe Landing' which is a group of aviation workers campaigning for long-term employment. They do this by challenging industry leaders to conform with climate science and reject dangerous growth.

 poster_2023_05_04_SafeLanding.pdf (676 KB)

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Why Safe Landing?

Aviation is heading for a crash landing. The projected growth of aviation is incompatible with safe levels of global warming – this needs to change, which means we’ll need to change how we fly.

DGLR Lecture in cooperation with HAW Hamburg, RAeS, VDI, ZAL

Lecture in German

So alt wie die Raumfahrt ist die Idee von Raumfahrzeugen mit Flügeln für die Rückkehr nach ihrer Mission ins All. Vereinzelte Entwürfe benötigen Flügel auch für den Start. Insgesamt sollte damit eine Wiederverwendbarkeit von Raumflugkörpern etabliert werden. Allerdings erreichten zahlreiche Konzepte nie die Einsatzreife, obwohl z.B. das deutsche Transportsystem "Sänger" durchaus zukunftsträchtig erschien. Erfolgreich war hingegen der 30 Jahre lange Einsatz der Space Shuttles der NASA von 1981 bis 2011 als Multifunktions-Raumtransporter, welche u.a. zum Aufbau der Internationalen Raumstation ISS genutzt wurden. Für neue staatliche und private Raumfahrtprogramme kommt derzeit (z.B. für die X-37B) und künftig (z.B. für den "Dream Chaser" und die XS-1) auch wieder Shuttle-Technologie zur Anwendung. 

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Annual Gerhard Sedlmayr Lecture

Lecture in English. Please register here

For a long time, aviation did not give information security a high priority – until industry started to use commercial technology on board its aircraft. That was the turning point for starting the catch-up sprint. Ever since then a lot has been achieved, while cyber attacks are increasing in frequency and intensity. So far, safety has not yet been compromised, but a few “near misses” have already occurred. So we need to stay alert, agile and diligent to get in front of the power curve, so future attacks will face a resilient aviation, which can be attacked but not brought to its knees.

Biography

Jean-Paul has been involved in Cybersecurity since the mid 90s and joined EASA in November 2015, after more than 27 years – about 15 of which in a similar capacity – at Airbus. There he has been working on the ACMS and other avionic systems, helped develop and standardise Arinc communication protocols and the first information security-related concepts and principles. Later he joined Eurocae and RTCA, chairing WG-72, which is still developing standards for Aviation Cybersecurity, as the discipline is now mostly referred to. As early as 2011 he initiated one of the first requests to ICAO by Eurocae to address Cybersecurity. Today he is involved in related ICAO activities, chairing the Trust Framework Panel and participating in the Cybersecurity Panel. He has been instrumental in the development of the European regulations and associated AMC/GM regarding the “requirements for the management of information security risks with a potential impact on aviation safety”, nicknamed Part-IS, published in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

 Poster_2023_09_11_Sedlmayr-Lecture-2.pdf (401 KB)

 text_2023_09_11_cybersecurity-2.pdf (10,67 MB)

RAeS lecture in cooperation with the DGLR, HAW Hamburg, VDI & ZAL

This lecture will describe the life of an RAF Phantom pilot in the 1970’s and centres on the exciting job of chasing Russian Tu-95 Bear long range reconnaissance aircraft over the North Sea as they approached UK airspace.

It starts with Nick entering the RAF as a student pilot, to leave 19 years later as a Flight Commander on Tornados.

He will also spend a little while describing his time as an Airbus A340 and A330 Captain.

Nick Anderson is a recently retired Captain for Virgin Atlantic Airways who previously served in the RAF and RAAF for 19 years. His father was an RAAF Sunderland pilot at Plymouth during WW2 and his mother a WAAF Operations Officer. He started off in the Air Training Corps, applied to the RAF aged 20 in 1974 and flew Phantoms for No43(F) Sqn at RAF Leuchars. He was also a Fast Jet A1 QFI at RAF Valley and a qualified Weapons Instructor on the Phantom. He became an exchange pilot with the RAAF on the F/A18 Hornet at RAAF Williamtown, New South Wales.

His career concluded as an F3 Tornado pilot and Flight Commander with 111(F) Sqn at RAF Leuchars.

He retired as a Squadron Leader in 1993 and was gainfully employed with Virgin Atlantic Airways on the Airbus A340-300, A340-600 and A330 from May 1994 until the end of May 2019. His retirement from professional flying has given him the time to podcast with the Airline Pilot Guy show!

 poster_2023_10_26_ChasingBears.pdf (440 KB)

Location: Tagungshaus der Katholische Akademie

On Wednesday, 15 November the RAeS Hamburg Branch is planning a full-day visit to the DLR Braunschweig. 
The exact programme is still to be confirmed but the following is planned.

Start visit 10.00

• Welcome and Presentation

Visits depend on availability

• Research aircraft 
• AVES (Air Vehicle Simulator) Simulator
• Tower Simulator

End DLR visit 12.30
 

We are still finalising details but we have hired a bus which will leave Hamburg Altona ZOB at 07:00 with a pick-up stop south of the Elbe (possibly Marmstorf) and arriving in Bückeburg at 9.45. We plan to be back in Hamburg by 19:30 latest with an intermediate stop south of the Elbe.
Participation will be limited to 25 people.

Full details are given here and a booking form is included with the details. Deadline for booking is 14 October.

DGLR lecture in cooperation with HAW Hamburg, VDI, ZAL & RAeS

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), certified against a robust standard, ensures that its production does not negatively affect ecosystems and food security. "Book and Claim" is an in-sector decarbonization solution that allows airlines to purchase SAF without being geographically connected to a supply site. With "Book and Claim", the environmental benefits are "decoupled" from the physical product and can be transferred separately in the form of a credit or certificate. This approach has already been successfully implemented in the renewable electricity sector (see here) and is seen as an unmissable opportunity to accelerate decarbonization in hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation.

Prior to joining RSB, Max Eichelbaum studied Mechanical Engineering at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg) finishing with a diploma. Max worked as an aviation stress engineer with Lufthansa and Airbus sizing lightweight composite airplane structures in Germany and France. He joined ESCP Business School to learn more about the energy sector, in particular sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), and completed a postgraduate Master of Science in Energy Management. He then started his own online platform in Canada promoting sustainable flight and worked as an expert in SAF consultancy projects.

 poster_2023_11_23_BookAndClaim.pdf (547 KB)

This event will take place on Tuesday, 5 December 2023 at the Anglo-German Club, Harvestehuder Weg 44, 20149 Hamburg. 

Reception at 18:15
Dinner at 19:00

Guest of Honour and after-dinner speaker is the current RAeS President Kerissa Khan. Kerissa will talk to us about "Pioneering Future Flight Innovation". (Read more about Kerissa here.) 

We would be delighted if you could join with us in our seasonal celebration. This event will give you an opportunity to meet friends and other members of the Society and make new contacts in a convivial atmosphere in the company of interesting people. It is also a unique opportunity for members to meet and talk to people from the aerospace community in the Hamburg area so we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.

The cost per ticket is 70 EUR for members and 85 EUR for non-members and will include the price of the meal plus wine and water.

The menu will be as follows:

• Maronen-Portwein-Suppe, Feigenwürfel, Brot und Butter
  (Chestnut port wine soup, fig cubes)
• Pochierter Kalbstafelspitz, Meerrettich-Velouté, Bouillonkartoffeln
  Rote Bete-Relish  
  (Poached veal boiled beef, horseradish velouté, bouillon potatoes
  beetroot relish)
• Christmas Pudding - brennend serviert - mit Zabaglione

A vegetarian or fish alternative and an alternative dessert for Christmas Pudding is also available if required.

Non-members are very welcome but numbers are limited so if you and your friends do wish to join us please reserve your places by 30th November latest.
Please fill out the booking form and indicate the number of places you wish to reserve and if you have any special dietary requirements. Booking form.

We will confirm your booking and then request you to transfer the full amount to our bank account. 

HAW Hamburg lecture in cooperation with DGLR, VDI, ZAL & RAeS

Im Zuge der dauerhaften und universellen Vernetzung sind auch im Ökosystem der Luftfahrt neben der Betriebssicherheit wesentliche Fragen der Vertraulichkeit, Verfügbarkeit und Integrität von Flugzeugen zu klären. Welche Bedeutung hat demnach die Informationssicherheit für Flugzeuge? Übergeordnet ist die Informationssicherheit in der Luftfahrt. Wie kommen wir von der Theorie zur Praxis?

 poster_2023_12_07_Informationssicherheit.pdf (501 KB)