Airbus supports extension of Clean Sky programme

Letter of Intent signed by European aeronautic industry and research partners to extend the Clean Sky research programme to run from 2014 to 2020.

ILA Berlin Air Show – Airbus has entered into an agreement together with 13 leading aerospace industry and research partners with a letter of intent to cooperate on a “Clean Sky 2” programme. As an extension of the European Commission’s (EC) “Clean Sky” Joint Technology Initiative, the industry would invest jointly with the EC a total of €3.6 billion over seven years on transport research in the frame of Clean Sky 2.

Clean Sky 2 will build a bridge towards the targets of ‘Flightpath 2050’ and the new ACARE Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda. These targets include the reduction of air transport CO₂ emissions per passenger kilometre by as much as 75 percent by 2050.

Airbus is currently playing a leading role with its partners in the seven-year Clean Sky research programme. Airbus’ key contribution, the advanced laminar flow “Smart-Fixed-Wing” Airbus A340 demonstrator is progressing well. Clean Sky 2 will take the industry’s collaborative research to the next level to prepare for a new wave of technologies.

Charles Champion, Chairman of the Clean Sky governing board and EVP of Engineering at Airbus said: “Building on the success of the Clean Sky JTI initiative, Airbus looks forward to participating in the Clean Sky 2 programme. This will contribute new environmentally-friendly technologies and also reinforce the competitiveness of Europe’s aeronautics sector.” He adds: “Together with other major European aerospace companies in Clean Sky 2, Airbus will help to radically improve air transport’s environmental impact through step change technologies and solutions to further reduce fuel consumption, emissions and noise.”

As part of the agreement, Clean Sky 2 would become incorporated in the European “Horizon 2020” programme, to run from 2014 to 2020. This LoI also expresses the European industry’s commitment to align its strengths and to significantly increase investment in European R&T through Clean Sky 2. This reflects the importance of strong and continued investment and co-operation to respond appropriately to the future challenges of air traffic.

Airbus is the world’s leading commercial aircraft manufacturer producing the most modern and efficient airliners in every category from 100 to over 500 seats. Airbus has design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US, China, Japan and in the Middle East. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS company.