Civil Aeronautics commission

1- OBJECTIVES

The Civil Aviation Commission (CAC) conducts forward-looking analyses in the field of European (and global) civil aviation*, leading to the development of appropriate recommendations for the relevant responsible entities.

* including all actors contributing to the development and operations of civil aviation: researchers, operators, manufacturers, air traffic control, service providers and corresponding authorities.

2- TOPICS SELECTED AS OF MARCH 12, 2018

2.1Theme 1:Continuation of work on more automated aviation by 2050

• Sub-theme 1.1: Sharing of tasks, responsibilities and authority between air transport players

Continued work on File No. 42 regarding current, probable, and possible changes in the roles of various stakeholders—both on the ground and on board—whether human or machine. The outcome should provide a comprehensive overview of the system, taking into account possible developments in onboard and ground-based systems and ground-to-air connections, R&D issues, regulatory issues, as well as any recommendations for the stakeholders.

• Sub-theme 1.2 : Changing skills required in the future

TA is a vast system of increasingly complex systems based on a range of professions operating in highly varied contexts, with multiple interfaces. Driven by the digital revolution, these professions will evolve in the coming decades into what we will define as functions. It will be essential that these new functions be compatible with one another and that they be developed with the necessary foresight and care to avoid potentially damaging pitfalls. The objective of this subtheme is to explore these developments and formulate recommendations for those involved in training for future roles in the aerospace industry. This analysis concerns all stakeholders, whether they are based on the ground (CCO, dispatch, air traffic control, meteorology, airport operations, manufacturers, maintenance, etc.) or on board aircraft.

• Sub-theme 1.3: Dealing with “unexpected/unforeseen” events during air transport missions

During missions, various types of unexpected events occur. Whether caused by external factors or internal to the aircraft, most of these are accounted for by flight crews, allowing the mission to continue. To lighten the human workload, are there ways to automatically reconfigure systems and provide assistance to correct as many of these issues as possible? (Such as the reset button or envelope protection systems on fighter jets.)

Approach:

a) Examples of unexpected or unforeseen events that may occur during operations,

b) identifying possible methods for resolving as many cases as possible.

• Sub-theme 1.4 : Application of SPO (Single Pilot Operations) to an ATR type aircraft

Given the number of passengers carried—which makes this development easier to justify—and the interest expressed by ATR’s CEO, this initial application warrants special consideration.

2.2 Theme 2: Feasibility of planned supersonic business aircraft :

The press has been reporting on various proposals for the development of supersonic transport aircraft. This study consists of a critical feasibility analysis of these aircraft, drawing on the experience gained from projects and advanced studies conducted in Europe over the past several decades.

2.3 Theme 3: Viability of small all-electric and hybrid aerial vehicles :

Given the current state of electricity storage technologies, projects involving medium-haul, regional, and even short-haul aircraft are difficult to conceive. At most, small aircraft with limited range are feasible for niche markets. We propose a preliminary study of two types of aircraft: the first is a microlight with a maximum mass of 450 kg, certifiable under existing regulations; the second type would be heavier, weighing between 1 metric ton and 1.5 metric tons.