Overview
KATnet II was a coordinating action on Key Aerodynamic Technologies supporting the ACARE Vision 2020, and in particular it's Strategic Research Agenda. KATnet II's objective was to identify and assess those aerodynamic technologies that are needed to reach the Vision 2020 goals, and to be the European focus for these technologies. The results of this work were reported in a strategy paper, which was delivered to ACARE and other influential organisations in the field. KATnet II was the successor of the highly successful FP5 KATnet Thematic Network (2002 to 2005).
The major objective of both projects was to maximise the industrial return of European R&TD investment. KATnet II addresses the relevant Technology Areas: Aircraft Configuration, Drag Reduction and Separation Control Technologies including the eight ongoing EU funded aeronautical projects/platforms AWIATOR, EUROLIFT II, FLIRET, HISAC, NACRE, REMFI, SUPERTRAC and TELFONA. Other relevant non-EU activities addressed by KATnet II are AIRnet, GARTEUR, ERCOFTAC and corresponding national programs.
Networking activities provided by KATnet II are:
- WP 1 - R&T Strategy Development & Exploitation;
- WP 2 - multidisciplinary Technology Assessment;
- WP 3 - dissemination of KATnet II Information and
- WP 4 - KATnet II Communication Platforms.
- Identification of relevant technologies, investigation of their maturity and development of strategies for their implementation into future aircraft;
- multidisciplinary assessment of candidate technologies for a virtual aircraft configuration as defined in KATnet;
- dissemination of KATnet II information via the KATnet II homepage and newsletters; intensified contact and involvement with the academic community by organising seminars, workshops and an international conference.
A Supervisory Board composed of senior personalities of the KATnet partner organisations will supervise all KATnet activities.
Funding
Results
The project was structured into work packages:
R&T strategy development and exploitation
The primary objective of this work package was to identify those aerodynamic technologies which have the potential to deliver to a more effective, environmentally friendly air transport system and improve the competitiveness of future European aerospace products. In addition to build up the necessary roadmap for those identified technology to be implemented, including running activities and possible gaps. A number of technologies were identified having reached a significant level of maturity. They were flight tested with the AWIATOR and SILENCE projects. These technologies have high potential for a further step towards the Vision 2020 goals. Significant improvements in drag and noise can be made though the adoption of a proactive green aircraft configuration. This was optimised for minimum fuel burn and noise and has a relatively low cruise Mach number enabling a reduced wing sweep, but increased span and therefore low induced drag. This has a significant benefit on high and low speed performance. The reduced sweep allows for the exploitation of natural laminar flow. A number of as per today relatively immature technologies have been identified which can give a further step in the direction of the Vision 2020 goals and, if successful, could see the goals being achieved.
Multidisciplinary technology assessment
An online multidisciplinary optimisation and trade study tool AeroSens was developed to allow researchers assessing online a technology evaluation tool based on real aircraft applications. The tool calculates (estimates) the impact of a technology relative to two standard aircraft configurations, a two engine short range aircraft for 150 passengers and a four engine long range aircraft for 295 passengers. The tool is hosted on the website of the KATNET partner DLR and is linked to the KATNET II website at: www.kat-net.net. This arrangement allows access to the tool beyond the lifetime of KATNET II.
Dissemination of KATNET II information
This task was concerned with providing network support by updating / using the existing KATNET website, distributing newsletters, and promoting involvement of the academic community networks. The website as main public window of KATNET II provides information on KATNET II itself as well as on the relevant topics.
KATNET II communication platforms
Existing KATNET know-how was used to organise an internati