Cellular structures provide lightweight, high-strength and excellent structural stability due to their repetitive modular unit design. By integrating cutting and folding Kirigami techniques with composite and plastic substrates, cellular configurations can significantly enhance the aero-mechanical performance of wing designs. This innovative structural technology shows great promise for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), enabling flexible control and dynamic flight capabilities to meet varying operational conditions. This study presents an analysis and optimisation of the aeroelastic behaviour of cellular Kirigami wingbox (CKW) structures for multifunctional operations of micro-UAV wings to ensure stability and resilience in various dynamic flight conditions. The effect of thickness and internal cell angle of the cellular structure on static and dynamic aeroelastic behaviour is assessed through finite element analysis. By incorporating Bayesian optimisation, the multi-disciplinary design space of the cellular UAV wings has been efficiently explored to achieve optimal structural performance for adaptive UAV wings. The results show that Bayesian optimisation effectively identifies optimal design parameters for different multi-objective design weights, which improves the aeroelastic performance of the CKW structure.

Hydrogen is a leading candidate for zero-emission propulsion in aviation, particularly when stored and utilised in its liquid form. However, key components such as composite cryogenic pressure vessels remain at low Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), requiring further investigation into their structural performance under realistic operational conditions. The present work aims to provide a validated numerical methodology for simulating the thermomechanical behaviour and the progressive damage evolution of composite cryogenic hydrogen tanks. The finite element framework incorporates ply-level failure criteria and stiffness degradation laws to capture intra-laminar damage mechanisms under combined pressure and temperature loads. The modelling approach is validated against experimental data from coupon-level open-hole tension tests and subcomponent-scale composite pipes burst tests, demonstrating strong correlation in terms of failure onset and progression.

The validated methodology is subsequently applied to a demonstrator, comprising a composite liquid hydrogen tank, subjected to three representative loading scenarios: internal pressure, cryogenic temperature and combined cryogenic-mechanical loading. Results reveal that matrix-dominated damage initiates near the cylinder – dome interfaces of the tank and propagates across the laminate, while fibre failure is not observed in the investigated load cases. This suggests that potential hydrogen leakage is the initial critical failure condition that occurs before any other important structural damage of the tank, highlighting the need for appropriate tank design. The performed study contributes to the understanding of structural integrity of composite cryogenic tanks and offers a computational basis for future design and certification efforts in hydrogen aviation systems.

This study presents a systematic approach to optimising drone airframe geometry with a specific focus on enhancing flight dynamics for racing applications. The proposed method integrates an elitist multi-objective evolutionary algorithm with mathematical procedures of varying natures, encapsulated within an algorithmic system of a simulation platform. The framework combines implicit numerical methods with a custom implementation to seamlessly interact across multiple simulation environments. This approach ensures the mathematical model closely reflects real-world conditions, providing reliable optimisation outcomes. The preliminary findings suggest that optimised airframe geometries lead to notable advancements in thrust efficiency and overall performance. Symmetrical and non-symmetrical designs exhibit distinct benefits, highlighting the potential for significant improvements in trajectory precision and flight efficiency. These results emphasise the practical impact of shape design and dynamic optimisation in drone airframes, offering valuable insights for developing high-performance racing drones.

This paper quantifies the impacts of the airframe configuration change on the performance differences between a tube-and-wing and a blended wing body aircraft. Both are sized for a 5,000 nmi design range carrying 225 passengers, initially using the same engine. Parametric geometry is created for both concepts based on relevant public information. The tube-and-wing notional geometry is derived from the existing Boeing 767-300ER, whereas JetZero’s concept inspires the blended wing body. These geometries are optimised using computational fluid dynamics and gradient-free approaches. Drag polars for each optimised model, spanning the expected operating envelope, are generated using computational fluid dynamics simulations and multi-fidelity surrogate models. Mission analysis is performed for the blended wing body, a conventional tube-and wing variant with metallic structures, and an advanced tube-and-wing with composite structures. The results show that the blended wing body operates with 15-20% higher lift-over-drag during the cruise, 24% lower fuel burn for the design mission, and 15% reduction in ramp weight relative to the conventional tube-and-wing. These differences drop to 20% for the design mission fuel burn and 10% for the ramp weight relative to the advanced tube-and-wing. When the engines are re-sized and optimised separately for each configuration, the blended wing body demonstrates a 25% improvement in block fuel and 16% reduction in ramp weight relative to the conventional tube-and-wing, which decreases to 21% and 10% relative to the advanced tube-and-wing. In both comparisons, the fuel efficiency advantage of the blended wing body decreases as the mission range is reduced.

The introduction of advanced automation and human-artificial intelligence (AI) teaming is expected to permit more efficient use of airspace in the face of increasing air transport demand. Additionally, the development of next-generation aircraft to support net-zero has introduced more complexity into the future flight deck and informational requirements. This study evaluates a design for an ‘intelligent assistant’ system that could share tasks with the pilot during engine failure and pilot incapacitation events, promoting greater reliance on system interaction as workload increases. Four professional pilots were split into two groups to perform six and eight scenarios, respectively. The aim was to identify the task-related information for the designed system to promote transparency to the pilots. Three modalities varied across each scenario (visual, auditory and physical) to evaluate the combination of modality to increase pilot monitoring and interaction with the system. Analysis of participant feedback indicated key limitations to existing human-machine-interaction design, with current operational procedures creating disparity between the system and pilots’ authority to handle the scenario. Additionally, the use of audio narration was negatively received by participants, primarily due to the potential overlap between other audio stimuli, masking the perception of task-critical audio prompts and delaying critical flight tasks from being performed. Design considerations were generated for future ‘intelligent assistant’ systems, with further research required to understand the effect of each modality on pilot reliance on these ‘intelligent assistant’ systems.

Aerodynamic investigations are crucial for the efficient design of Lighter-than-Air (LTA) systems. This study explores the aerodynamic characteristics of conventional and multi-lobed airships, motivated by the growing interest in LTA systems due to advancements in materials science, energy sources, aerodynamics, propulsion technology and control systems. The study employs the k-epsilon turbulence model, which is well-suited for turbulent flow simulations, and the Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure Linked Equations (SIMPLE) algorithm, known for its effectiveness in pressure-velocity coupling in fluid dynamics simulations. The results indicate that multi-lobed airships offer enhanced aerodynamic efficiency over conventional designs. Detailed analyses of lift and drag coefficients provide insights into aerodynamic performance, guiding the optimisation of airship designs for improved efficiency. The findings of this study support the development of more aerodynamically efficient airship designs, which can serve as cost-effective, energy-efficient and quieter alternatives to traditional aircraft, particularly for applications such as surveillance, cargo transport and scientific research.

This publication presents the results of a numerical analysis aimed at assessing the applicability of thermal tip clearance control (TCC) to the fore-to-last stage of a 10-stage high-pressure compressor system. The chosen geometry is representative for the HPC rear stages of a modern middle-sized turbofan, designed for large business jets and regional airliners. Simplified models for two TCC concepts were implemented, isolated and in combination: external impingement cooling and heat pipes. The analysis was performed by means of finite-element thermostructural simulations. Transient operational cycles, derived from a meanline model, along with empiric correlations for heat convection provided the required boundary conditions. Qualitative similarity to selected previous works in terms of temperature, stress and clearance evolutions was achieved. The combination of concepts demonstrated its potential as a TCC system with up to 0.45% reductions in rotor and stator clearances. Calculated heat pipe temperatures and heat fluxes were inside the estimated operational limitations. Regarding stresses, some local concentrations were observed, without significant impact in critical stress regions. A slam cycle analysis showed that, while blade rubbing remains a possibility, it can be mitigated by robust cooling control. All in all, the concept was deemed worthy of more detailed studies.

An active inceptor is a sidestick equipped with electromechanical actuators that provide programmable haptic feedback, offering pilots a tangible sense of control and enhancing their situational awareness. By integrating real-time force feedback mechanisms, active inceptors aim to improve handling qualities, reduce pilot workload, and support safer operations, particularly under dynamic or degraded flight conditions. Unlike conventional passive sidesticks, active inceptor systems (AIS) enable adaptive cueing strategies that respond to flight dynamics, control surface behaviour, and flight control laws. This review paper examines the evolving role of AIS in fly-by-wire (FBW) architectures and emerging aircraft control systems. It outlines fundamental design philosophies, summarises recent research and case studies, analyses its integration within flight control architectures, and reviews existing certification and regulatory considerations influencing AIS deployment. In addition, the paper explores potential handling quality assessment frameworks applicable to AIS. While the primary focus of this paper is the AIS application on fixed-wing aircraft, the review also highlights its established and emerging use in rotorcraft, offers insights into potential directions for future research and integration into next-generation flight platforms.

The frequency responses of circulation control and separation control using mini-spoilers for loads attenuation on plunging swept and unswept wings were compared in a water tunnel study. At the pre-stall angle-of-attack, the effectiveness of the spoilers significantly diminishes with increasing reduced frequency of the plunging motion. For the leading-edge spoiler, this happens because the roll-up of the vorticity promotes flow reattachment and reduces the effectiveness of loads attenuation. For the trailing-edge spoiler, the effectiveness of lift attenuation also decreases with increasing reduced frequency, due to the shedding of leading-edge vortices and immersion of the trailing-edge spoiler in the separated flow. The decay of the frequency response for both types of spoilers is similar, implying that it is dictated by the flow separation near the leading edge of the wing in both cases. With increasing sweep angle of the wings, the spoilers’ effectiveness decreases significantly in comparison to the unswept wing. Strong spanwise flow develops for the leading-edge spoiler, which sheds a streamwise vortex, with the same direction of rotation as the wing-tip trailing vortex. This causes partial reattachment of the flow and reduction of the separation area behind the spoiler. With increasing reduced frequency, strong leading-edge vortices dominate the flow over the wing. The leading-edge vortices generate additional vortex lift and also cause the trailing-edge spoiler to be immersed in the massively separated flows. Both factors reduce the effectiveness of the spoilers.

A mass- and momentum-conserved secondary injection model (MMC-SIM) is presented for thrust vector control (TVC) analysis in axisymmetric nozzles. TVC modelling provides fast thrust vector predictions for control design, preliminary nozzle sizing, and integration into flight simulation frameworks. Existing low-order models rely on simplifying assumptions regarding the secondary jet exit state, which limits reproducibility and can compromise predictive accuracy. MMC-SIM addresses this limitation by reformulating the equivalent obstruction height problem. Mass conservation and momentum conservation provide two independent constraints that are solved simultaneously to determine both the effective injection height and the secondary jet exit state, eliminating the need to prescribe downstream jet conditions a priori. These constraints are embedded within a blunt-body framework to predict boundary layer separation, wall pressure distribution and thrust vector characteristics. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are used to assess the modelling assumptions and examine the flow structures. MMC-SIM shows strong agreement with experimental results, yielding average and maximum lateral force prediction errors of 3.3% and 4.8%, respectively. Compared to current leading models, MMC-SIM substantially improves the prediction of the pressure-driven lateral force while providing a transparent and reproducible modelling framework suitable for engineering design applications.

This article examines the effectiveness of using virtual reality training environments for procedural training in fourth generation airliners. It is based on a study that assessed whether the training outcomes from a current recurrent training course for FAA certificated airframe and power plant technicians, which used a full flight simulator (FFS) to deliver and assess training, differed from the same training delivered using a virtual reality (VR) device. The study used an experimental design with three groups, and two within-group measures of training effectiveness. The control group followed the current training programme and was assessed in the FFS, while the second group was trained using a VR device and was subsequently assessed in the FFS. Training effectiveness was assessed using a modified Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills (GEARS) tool that measured both cognitive and psychomotor aspects of learning alongside the time to successful completion of the assessed task was also measured. The population sampled for the study were all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificated airframe and power plant technicians who were engine-run qualified; a total sample of 100 was used to achieve a 95% confidence interval (p < 0.05). The hypothesis under test was that there is no difference in test performance between the three groups. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) analysis was performed using the GEARS scores and time to completion as variables, and the null hypothesis was retained. The VR system, as tested, was found to provide equivalent task performance to the traditional training method. Recommendations for future research and ongoing application of the specific experimental methodology were provided.