The PULSAR consortium gathered in Berlin, between 17 and 19 June, for the third project management meeting hosted by partner Rolls-Royce Deutschland. The meeting brought together the 12 project partners to review progress and ensure alignment of activities. Discussing results and ticking off milestones, PULSAR cemented its commitment to propel European aviation into a sustainable future.
The third project management meeting marked the importance of collaboration among PULSAR partners and their efforts to create a roadmap for European Aviation Research and Innovation, ensuring that key environmental objectives are met. The project coordinator, Laurent Leylekian, from ONERA, highlighted again the key role that PULSAR plays in aviation research:
"Regaining competitiveness and coping with the environmental issue to ensure the best living conditions for its citizens are two top-level priorities of the EU. Partners of the PULSAR consortium strive to determine which technologies may secure reaching these two objectives for the aviation sector by 2050 and beyond. Through some related recommendations on research and development, we aim at reinforcing the European leadership on aircraft manufacturing".
Key Milestones and Deliverables
During the Berlin meeting, significant progress was reported across three work packages:
Education & Communication (Work Package 5): review of curricula on aviation noise and emissions, identification of educational gaps, and development of new Education roadmap focussed on noise and emissions. Engagement of stakeholders and the public, highlighting the European aviation sector's efforts in addressing environmental challenges. A survey will soon be shared with target groups to identify industries’ and other stakeholders needs for the sector.
Defining Scenarios and Indicators (Work Package 2): development of future scenarios for European aviation, by assuming different technological and socio-economic developments while upholding the European Union’s agreed climate targets. Metrics and indicators are defined to assess these scenarios, translating political requirements into quantifiable measures.
Screening & Selection of Enablers (Work Package 3): The team identified and confirmed classes of aircraft and the associated technology packages (low noise technologies, low emission technologies, Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), hydrogen or electric propulsion, and disruptive designs) that will be operated and assessed throughout the scenarios.
In addition, refined views clarified how such scenarios and enablers will be considered within the forthcoming assessment phase (Work Package 4).
The discussions and presentations reaffirmed the project’s mission to develop sustainable aviation technologies and foster a strong connection between aviation R&I and education. The project’s findings and recommendations will be communicated to the European Commission and other policymakers, aiming for integration into future research and innovation work programmes.