Aeronautics
The aeronautics community is continuing to chase the horizon. Innovators are pushing technology to deliver new products and services for the benefit of society. In the next 5–10 years, many new capabilities will be introduced, and the next generation will experience flight in ways we are just imagining. We stand at the precipice of urban flight, integrating ground and air vehicles in new ways. The industry is building on the advances made since the early 20th century taking us further, faster, safer, and cleaner. AIAA advances these opportunities through its focus on the Aeronautics Domain.
- Aeronautics in the 21st Century: Safe, Sustainable, and Smart
By AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher
The aeronautics industry is embracing opportunities in the near term that will contribute to its enduring legacy of changing society and reshaping everyday life as we know it.
Priority Areas in Aeronautics
Advanced Air Mobility Advanced air mobility could grow into a $115 billion industry that gives all of us new transportation options. With clear operational guidelines, regulations, and standards for accommodating and incorporating autonomy, we see a thriving integrated urban and regional airspace in the next decade. The benefits of autonomy will enhance safety for everyone and enable capabilities we are only just imagining.
Carbon Emissions and Sustainability The global community is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector by 2050. The AIAA community plays an integral role in this effort that will make a substantial difference to benefit our planet.
AIAA is working with the industry toward several steps, including:
- Advocacy for more government support for the goal of carbon-free aviation by 2050
- Deployment of SAF for current airline fleets, while also addressing fleet recapitalization
- Adoption of hydrogen fuel cells and other clean, renewable energy sources
- Focus on new R&D
- Development of the “green” aviation workforce
Certification The widespread use of UAVs and drones—both commercial and recreational—prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to adapt its certification processes. Similarly, the FAA must facilitate safe use of AAM systems for passenger and cargo transport. As the FAA refreshes its certification strategy, we expect to see clear specifications, regulations, and standards emerge that will strike an appropriate balance between safety and innovation.
Space launches are close to a daily occurrence and launch sites are infringing on urban environments and large metropolitan areas. The integration of commercial air traffic, AAM, and space launch traffic must receive government attention to help drive global regulatory and certification strategies that ensure safety and continued smooth sustainable economic growth for all stakeholders.
Hypersonics and Supersonics High speed “transportation” – both military and civilian – is fast becoming a reality. Integrating hypersonic and supersonic flight into the national and global airspace will require attention to operational efficiency, safety through certification, and environmental and societal impacts including noise and emissions. AIAA will address questions around:
- Is sustainable civil high-speed endo-atmospheric flight achievable?
- What role does the government have in promoting hypersonic and/or supersonic flight?
- What technologies are needed to develop and mature efficient and low environmental impact hypersonic and supersonic flight?
Events
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30th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference
4 June - 7 June 2024
Rome, Italy
The AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference is the premier international forum for the field of aeroacoustics. -
CEAS EuroGNC 2024
11 June - 13 June 2024
Bristol, United Kingdom
The 2024 conference will be hosted from June 11th to 13th, 2024 at the University of Bristol in Bristol, United Kingdom and with the support of the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS). -
2024 AIAA Aviation and Aeronautics Forum and Exposition (AIAA AVIATION Forum)
29 July - 2 August 2024
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
The AIAA AVIATION Forum is the only aviation event that covers the entire integrated spectrum of aviation business, research, development, and technology.
Courses
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Guidelines for the Development of Civil Aircraft & Systems – Online Short Course (Starts June 18, 2024)
18 June - 27 June 2024
This course is designed to equip participants with the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary for the development of civil aircraft and systems based on ARP4754B and conducting the safety assessment process based on ARP4761A.
Open for registration. Register Now
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Composite Structures: Process Analysis, Progressive Damage, Failure Analysis, and Advanced Software - Online Short Course (May 13-16, 2024)
13 May - 16 May 2024
This new, practical course taught by premier experts in Composite Aircraft Structures will cover advanced topics in composite analysis and use software from Digital Blue to demonstrate example frameworks.
Open for registration. Register Now
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A Practical Approach to Gas Turbine Engine Performance & Design using GasTurb14 – Online Short Course (Started April 16, 2024)
16 April - 6 June 2024
This new 32-hour course introduces GasTurb14 through software demonstration, complete engine model generations, simulations, and optional homework assignments.
Open for registration. Register Now
News
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2024 AIAA DEFENSE Forum to Focus on Accelerating Technology Transition for Battlespace Dominance
22 March 2024
AIAA has announced its three-day program for the 2024 AIAA DEFENSE Forum, 16–18 April at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland. -
AIAA Announces Recipients of 2024 Roger W. Kahn Scholarship
20 March 2024
AIAA is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Roger W. Kahn Scholarship. The four $10,000 scholarships have been awarded to the following high school seniors. -
AIAA Announces 2024 International Student Conference Winners
29 February 2024
AIAA is pleased to announce the 2024 International Student Conference winners in partnership with the AIAA Foundation. During the 2024 AIAA SciTech Forum in January, 21 technical paper first-place finalists...
Past Events
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28th Annual Design/Build/Fly Competition
18 April - 21 April 2024
Wichita, Kansas, USA
AIAA and the AIAA Foundation invites all university students to participate in the Cessna/Raytheon Missile Systems Student Design Build Fly competition. -
HyTASP Technical Committee Hypersonics Webinar (AIAA Member Exclusive)
23 February 2024 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time)
Online
In this webinar Ali Gülhan, German Aerospace Center (DLR), will discuss how high-quality validation data that is representative of the real flight environment is necessary for the simulation-based design of flight hardware. -
Aerospace Perspectives Series: Testing and Validating Electric Aircraft Powertrain and Propulsion Systems from an Automotive Electrification Perspective
25 January 2024 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time)
Virtual
During this webinar, dSPACE, EMPS Consulting, and AIAA will review the adjacencies found when developing electrical powertrain and propulsion systems in the automotive and aerospace industries.
Aeronautics Playlist
Task Forces
The AIAA Advanced Air Mobility Task Force is guiding the implementation of the AIAA plan for advanced air mobility (AAM) systems capabilities. AAM could embody the single greatest transformation for aviation business, science, and policy—and
public perceptions—since the emergence of mainstream commercial aviation in the mid-20th century. With clear operational guidelines, regulations, and standards for accommodating and incorporating autonomy, AIAA sees a thriving integrated urban
and regional airspace in the next decade. The benefits of autonomy will enhance safety for everyone and enable capabilities we are only just imagining.
Watch the 10 May 2023 AIAA AAM Task Force meeting with the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), hosted by the Vertical Flight Society. Watch Video
AAM Task Force Public Forum
The AIAA Carbon Emission and Sustainability Task Force is addressing efforts across AIAA to drive progress toward net zero carbon emissions by 2050. In 2019, commercial aviation produced ~2% of global human-induced carbon dioxide emissions.
Many aviation industry stakeholders and AIAA members are taking on generational-scale challenges that require broad collaboration and support. AIAA sees the need and opportunity for the aviation industry to pursue technology development, product and
services development, and operational changes to reduce the impact to climate change.
Carbon Emissions & Sustainability Task Force Public Forum
AIAA Aeronautics Lead
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Mike Borfitz
Certification Task Force Co-Chair, CEO, Kilroy Aviation