Icing in the context of sustainable aviation

Mid-term expected results include:

• Scientific expertise and compliant methods to support certification of new sustainable aviation icing systems.

• Reliable numerical validation tools and test protocols for appendices C, O, P icing and snow environments.

• New SLD, ice-crystal and snow testing capabilities (wind tunnels, ice tankers, specialized facilities).

• Open, validated flight-testing datasets for community use and model/tunnel validation.

• Enhanced understanding of climate-change impacts on certification icing conditions.

• Prototypes of innovative ice detection and protection solutions: energy-efficient, passive/active/hybrid technologies; low-adhesion coatings; dissimilar air-data measurement systems; smart health-monitoring platforms.

• Support for EASA rulemaking activities, facilitating certification and safety of future low-carbon aircraft configurations.

1. Proposals must address all, or significant parts of, the three principal research areas:

• Means of compliance for future sustainable aviation icing certification: reliable numerical tools; SLD test capabilities; flight-testing datasets; ice-crystal and snow test facilities.

• Climate-change impact assessment on certification icing environments: develop and apply cloud microphysics models coupled to General Circulation Models to predict ice-crystal and Supercooled Large Drop conditions.

• Novel ice detection and protection technologies: ice-crystal/SLD detection systems; high-efficiency/low-energy active, passive, hybrid solutions (including coatings and new air-mobility products); dissimilar air-data and attitude measurement methods insensitive to icing; smart, extensive ice-protection health-monitoring systems.
2. Target TRL 3–5 at project start.
3. Proposals must reference and align with ongoing EASA rulemaking actions (RES.0010, RES.0017, RES.0014, RMT.0196, RMT.0118).
4. Include plan for close cooperation with EASA and national aviation authorities.