An ATR 72 prototype aircraft has flown on a second demonstration test as part of the EU’s Clean Sky Joint Undertaking (CS JU) program. The aim of this test flight series is to trial an all-electrical energy management system that optimizes electrical power distribution in the aircraft. This second campaign also checks the operation of a new all-electric air-conditioning system.
The current All Electrical Aircraft (AEA) flight test campaign comes after the successful July 2015 green flying demonstration for the Clean Sky program, which used the same ATR 72 prototype aircraft.
The first flight test campaign was designed to test new and more effective composite insulation materials and new vibro-acoustic sensors integrated into a large panel of the ATR aircraft fuselage. The flights also tested new generation optical fibers for improved identification of micro-cracks and easier maintenance.
Clean Sky is a measure adopted by the European Parliament to support public-private partnership initiatives in research. The aim is to develop a broad spectrum of technologies for a clean, innovative and competitive air transport system.
The advanced technologies tested by the AEA flying demonstrator have been jointly developed by ATR’s shareholder Finmeccanica, Liebherr for the electrical air-conditioning system, and Thales for the electrical generation. ATR has been part of the project since it was initiated in 2008 through its Italian shareholder, Finmeccanica.
March 4, 2016
