Overview
The first generation of Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA1G) has been researched via European funded research projects; PAMELA, NEVADA and VICTORIA. This technology supported a revolutionary step away from federated architectures and their classical bespoke electronics to a modular architecture with common resources. IMA1G was introduced to the market on the A380, A400M and B787 aircraft. IMA1G replaces multiple, dissimilar equipment with fewer common processing and I/O modules, sharing high speed communication links.
IMA1G has demonstrated possible implementation and derived benefits when applied to a limited number of aircraft functions for example; the number of processing units in the new A380 is half that of previous generations and a reduction in airline operating costs of between 15 and 20% is expected through significant weight reduction and maintenance savings. However IMA1G is only a first step in the evolution toward a full IMA concept The concept of the SCARLETT project is based on a shared analysis made by the European Aerospace Community, which has identified the need to undertake research leading to a new generation of IMA, defining a scalable, adaptable, reconfigurable fault-tolerant driven and secure avionics platform, namely the DME: Distributed Modular Electronics.
By implementing the innovations in the DME concept, SCARLETT will progress the state-of-the-art beyond the current IMA1G in the following areas:
- scalability, portability and adaptability;
- fault tolerance and reconfiguration capabilities;
- minimise the number of types of standardised electronic modules and
- support a full range of avionics function.
In addition innovations in the area of advanced processes, methods and tools to improve IMA implementation efficiency are proposed. SCARLETT will place European Industry in a strong position to offer a mature common avionics platform solution across a worldwide range of aircraft types, at entry into service.
The overall SCARLETT goal was to define and validate the concept of a novel, integrated architectural solution for on-board electronics, which will meet the socio-economic and market drivers presented in the previous section, through the satisfaction of the requirements derived from them. The SCARLETT project aimed to reach this goal through the following set of specific objectives:
- Objective 1: To define and demonstrate a new generation IMA architecture to provide a scalable solution, adaptable to all aircraft platforms from regional to short and long range aircraft.
- Objective 2: To define a minimal set of module types with which to implement the architecture. This will reduce ownership and maintenance costs by 20%.
- Objective 3: To demonstrate that the new generation IMA architecture, implemented through the minimal set of module types, is capable of supporting the larger set of aircraft functions and encompasses the maximum set of hardware resources necessary for these functions, thus reducing the total life cycle cost by extended rationalisation of the airborne hardware.
- Objective 4: To define and develop new standards supporting the definition of the second generation IMA architecture.
- Objective 5: To provide an associated process and toolset that reduces design/re-design time by 30% and improves maturity at entry into service.
- Objective 6: To define and demonstrate fault tolerance and reconfiguration capability within the architecture in order to provide 100% availability.
The work was divided into five packages, being:
- Requirements, Architecture and Process Definition;
- Development of Avionics Solutions;
- Platform Integration;
- Demonstration of DME platform capabilities;
- Results Assessment Exploitation & Dissemination.
Funding
Results
The SCARLETT project team participated in around 60 events with a total of 100 publications. Two main events were organised in SCARLETT: the SCARLETT Forum in Russia (in 2009) and the ALICIA-SCARLETT workshop in Belgium (in 2010).
Participation in AERODAYS 2011 provided a unique opportunity to show to, among others, the Research and Industrial Aeronautic community some results of the project. Dedicated material was developed for this event: technical training videos and software demonstration videos which were fully supported by a product project booklet (see: SCARLETT Developed Products) and a product showroom.
The SCARLETT partners attended several technical conferences, workshops and industrial fairs. In some of these they have given technical presentations. In total 14 technical papers were produced. Product prototypes and demonstrators developed in SCARLETT were shown at some industrial fairs and project reviews. It can be said that SCARLETT has achieved a good level of dissemination.
Strategy targets
Innovating for the future (technology and behaviour): A European Transport Research and Innovation Policy