Within the project "Environmental Data Models and Interface Development (JTI-CS-2011-ECO-01-018)”, the partners within the project consortium assessed environmental performance in the aviation sector in order to support ecological improvement. Under the lead of University of Stuttgart, the project took important steps towards the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) in the aviation sector.

The project would:

• Create a methodological framework for LCA application in the aviation sector;
• Create LCA models of most relevant materials and processes;
• Create parameterised models of current and future reference a/c;
• Set up an advisory board, consisting of companies representing the most important supplying industries for the aviation sector (“Material Board”) in order to have access to their expert knowledge;
• Identify the environmentally most relevant parts, processes and materials;
• Perform an impact assessment and sensitivity analysis, based on those models;
• Create datasets according to the ILCD 1.1 requirements;
• Create an easy-to-use user interface and harmonization with the EDA LCA tool;
• Actively communicate progress, findings and results to the CLEAN SKY Eco-Design partners and the topic manager;
• Capitalise on the outcomes of the LCA DATIM project

Modelling was done in the GaBi LCA software tool, thus offering full compatibility with all models, processes and database of the preceding LCA DATIM project. This software tool in combination with the easy-to-use user interface and the underlying ILCD-compatible database was an important step to support improvement of sustainability in the aviation sector.

The ENDAMI project comprised the major aircraft manufacturer among the CLEAN SKY Eco-Design partners and leading material providers to the aviation industry (in the MATERIAL BOARD), covering a wide range of materials used in the aircraft industry, leading to an added value for the CLEAN SKY consortium.