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?
Courses
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Aircraft Reliability & Reliability Centered Maintenance (Starts September 17, 2024)
17 September - 26 September 2024
Open for registration. Register Now
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Advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics
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Design of Electrified Propulsion Aircraft
News
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AIAA Announces Election of New Board of Trustees Members-At-Large
6 July 2023
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Board of Trustees (BoT) elected three new Board of Trustees Members-At-Large during its meeting in February. These newly elected leaders began their three-year terms in May. -
AIAA Statement on the Virgin Galactic Mission ‘Galactic 01’
29 June 2023
AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher made the following statement: “On behalf of the 30,000 professional and student members of AIAA, we congratulate Virgin Galactic on its successful flight today.. -
AIAA Releases White Paper Advocating for Use of Digital Threads in Aerospace
12 June 2023
AIAA today released a white paper at the 2023 AIAA AVIATION Forum to advance the use of Digital Threads across the aerospace industry. The paper, “Digital Thread: Definition, Value, and Reference Model,” is a collaboration with the Aerospace Industries Association...
Past Events
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AIAA Design/Build/Fly
15 April - 18 April 2021
Virtual Event
AIAA and the AIAA Foundation invites all university students to participate in the Cessna/Raytheon Missile Systems Student Design Build Fly competition. -
AIAA Webinar: Sustainability in Flight—Our Journey to Decarbonization
8 February 2021 1100 - 1200 (Eastern Standard Time)
Virtual
AIAA Public Policy discussion about industry’s commitment to reducing their carbon footprint. -
2021 AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition (AIAA SciTech Forum)
11 January - 21 January 2021
Virtual
The AIAA SciTech Forum is the world’s largest event for aerospace research, development, and technology. The 2021 forum will bring together experts to share ideas on Fluid Dynamics; Applied Aerodynamics; Guidance, Navigation, and Control; Structures; and much more.
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