Integrated Wing Aerospace Technology Validation Programme (IWATVP)

The integrated wing programme is a UK national collaborative technology validation programme designed to pave the way for a ‘step change’ in wing technologies and configurations, addressing the Advisor Council for Aeronautic Research in Europe (ACARE) 2020 ‘Challenge of the Environment’. The main goals of the challenge address issues such as development, production and maintenance costs, reduced fuel burn, emissions and noise (Figure 1). The IWATVP is one of the pilot ‘Aerospace Technology Validation Programmes’ (ATVPs) that were proposed by the Aerospace Innovation & Growth Team (AeIGT) and forms a key element of the National Aerospace Technology Strategy (NATS).

Figure 1. ACARE 2020 reduction targets

Phase 1 (£34 million) brings together 17 leading UK organisations with the objective of integrating and validating the most promising combination of technologies related to development of wings, wing systems, landing gear and fuel systems. After completing Phase 1, the intention is to go on and develop a large-scale physical demonstrator in Phase 2 of the programme.

The UK has established itself as a centre of excellence for wing design and manufacture, particularly for the Airbus family, creating the most innovative solutions contributing to the twin goals of efficiency and high performance.
As a major validation programme, Integrated Wing also demonstrates the UK’s commitment to its responsibilities in meeting the challenges of Sustainable Aviation and is also an important step in preparing the UK for full participation in the next round of European public research funding – Framework Programme 7 (2007-2013).
The IWATVP will ‘pull through’ basic and applied research carried out in recent years and ongoing today under UK, EU and privately-funded programmes, and ultimately apply the best solutions to the end product. Its work will incorporate the key UK strengths – wings, wing systems, landing gear and fuel systems, areas which can all make a significant contribution to meeting the environmental challenges for aviation - and bring together advanced technology applications which will be evaluated for integration and validation, including:

• Aero-elastic tailoring, flow control, noise reduction
• New materials and design and manufacturing
• Fuel systems
• Advanced materials for landing gear with noise reduction
• Power plant.

Figure 2. A simplified IWATVP schematic showing relation between Work Packages.

SEIC Involvement

The SEIC is involved in two key areas of the IWATVP, Work Package Integration (WPI) consisting of Systems Level Validation and Technology Optimisation, and WP3, which gives a more technological focus to the development of Fuel Systems (Figure 2).
Work Package Integration will provide the mechanism for tying the programme’s vertical work packages (WP 1-5) and associated technologies, from the system level assessment into a complex system framework. The framework will be used to identify and quantify the benefits of promising enabling technologies which warrant focused future technology investment inline with ACARE targets, market drivers and direct operating costs.
The SEIC is playing a key role in the development of this framework by applying a Systems Engineering approach to wing engineering that will provide new insights into common requirements, interfaces, interactions, optimal allocation of functions and emergent properties. The systems engineering approaches/tools and techniques will facilitate the development of scalable methods for integrating advanced technologies delivered from WPs 1-5 and provide visualisation at various levels of abstraction, from component level through to the integrated wing, platform, and ultimately (but not within IWATVP phase 1) to the level of the global air transportation system.
By aiding the recognition of opportunities, risks, and the impact of change at the earliest possible stage in the product lifecycle, WPI will result in a better understanding of IW capability and integration requirements, risk mitigation opportunities, the impact of change, and emergence. The success of WPI relies on the close working relationship between SEIC and QinetiQ.The Fuel System is a critical element of an aircraft and consequently has wide ranging design implications. Apart from supplying fuel to the engines, it also provides cooling, stability and load alleviation to the aircraft all of which need to be managed and optimised at an aircraft level.

WP3 will focus on the needs and requirements of aircraft fuel systems and the advances in technology required to meet future regulation. This will concentrate in the areas of:

• Exploitation of new fuels, additives (including contaminants)
• Optimised use of sensor technologies
• Controlling electrostatic discharge in composite materials
• Improved Fault Diagnostics

It is anticipated that a large degree of testing and modelling will support all aspects of the programme, consequently experimental rigs at Airbus, the SEIC and the ATC will be used to test and validate new approaches and novel techniques.
By addressing these key areas, any technological advancements will be de-risked and potentially lead to overall aircraft performance improvements through weight reduction and aircraft efficiency savings. This will ultimately strengthen the market position for those partners involved in the consortium.
The SEIC’s involvement in this work package will focus upon system level diagnostics in future aircraft fuel systems, leading to reduced operational interrupts. This WP will aim to exploit common technologies across the integrated wing and to share technical data to ensure system level compliance is enhanced at aircraft level. The key to this approach is to understand how the optimisation of the fuel system impacts upon the complete aircraft. These interdependencies will be managed and communicated within Work Package Integration.