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A green Farnborough fair

GE Aerospace, the new avatar of GE Aviation after a three-way split of General Electric, doubles down on its sustainability aviation commitments at the Farnborough Airshow.

It was a return to excitement at the Farnborough Airport, Hampshire in the third week of July. Having missed the last biennial event in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the crowds at the UK’s Farnborough International Airshow were a reiteration that the global aerospace community is back on its feet — with over 500 aircraft orders announced.

More importantly, what shone through at Farnborough this year was: sustainability in aviation. Announcements at the world's second-biggest air fair this year showed that the world of aerospace hasn’t missed a step in its drive towards sustainability and that it continues on that path despite hiccups caused by the pandemic, supply chain shortages, or the Ukraine conflict.

Small now, big later

Sustainability in aviation, to be sure, hasn’t received as much attention as humankind’s other drives towards a sustainable future like, for instance, renewables such as solar or wind as sources of energy to replace fossil fuels or zero-pollution options like batteries or hydrogen fuel cells in ground modes of transportation.

Aviation is estimated to account for just 3% of the global carbon emissions. Therefore, the push by stakeholders such as governments and regulators has been muted.

Yet, the long term potential in reducing carbon emissions in aviation is promising as airlines globally push towards an accelerated replacement cycle of aircraft. This is driven by corporate strategies that see sound economics in more efficient and sustainable fleets with a focus on network flexibility and capability such as non-stop, long haul flights.

This trend holds especially true in maturing markets such as India — already the world’s third-largest aviation market by passengers and projected to be a hotspot for growth in the global aerospace industry. Both Boeing and Airbus, the leading global manufacturers, have forecast that Indian carriers will purchase more than 2,200 passenger aircraft in the next two decades, effectively growing the fleet size four-fold. Such predictions, if anything, are likely to be surpassed as the government encourages the expansion of aviation services into hinterland India and new airlines get ready to tap into new demand.

Green double down

A focus on decarbonization was evident at this year’s show, being held after four years, as the industry aims to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This renewed charge was led by announcements by the newly created GE Aerospace (General Electric announced on July 18 that GE Aviation is changing its brand to GE Aerospace following a three-way spin-off of the company’s energy, healthcare and aviation businesses).

The top announcements made by GE Aerospace at Farnborough were:

• A world-first to test high power-voltage hybrid electric components in altitude conditions: Electric motor/generators, power converters, power transmission, and control systems successfully demonstrated performance and operation in 45,000-feet altitude conditions that simulate single-aisle commercial flights. “We’re making aviation history by developing the technology to help make hybrid electric flight possible for everyday commercial air travel,” said Mohamed Ali, VP and general manager of engineering, GE, adding, “Sustainability is our north star.”
• Flight test demonstrator for open fan architecture: Airbus and CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines, will flight test CFM’s open fan engine architecture on board an A380 later this decade. The aim is to mature and accelerate the development of advanced propulsion technologies, as part of CFM’s RISE (short for Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engine) demonstration program. “The CFM RISE Program is all about pushing the technology envelope, redefining the art of the possible, and helping to achieve more sustainable long-term growth for our industry,” said Gaël Méheust, President and CEO of CFM International. Since the first CFM engines entered service in the early 1980s, the company has reduced its fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 40% compared with the engines it replaced. The RISE Program aims to achieve further at least 20% lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, which would represent the greatest decarbonization gain it has ever achieved. If just 10% of the world’s single-aisle aircraft were replaced in the future by an open-fan engine like the one visualised for the RISE program, it would reduce CO2 emissions by the equivalent of more than 1.6 million vehicles off the road, estimates GE.
• Qantas signs up for GE Digital’s Airspace Insight™ tool: Qantas will use Airspace Insight to ask complex “what if” questions to spot airspace inefficiencies to reduce overall flight time, fuel burn, and carbon emissions (a typical flight emits up to 1,000 kg of excess carbon due to inefficient airspace design and air traffic control practices). “The only way to get the kind of acceleration we need to hit our sustainability and efficiency goals is to put data to work,” said Andrew Coleman, General Manager of GE Digital’s Aviation Software business.
• Other sustainable aviation commitments we achieved in the last one year:
  • All GE Aerospace engines can operate on approved Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) today and GE engines have been successfully tested with 100% SAF that doesn’t require blending with conventional jet fuel. On December 1, 2021, United Airlines operated the first experimental flight with passengers using 100% SAF in one of its two CFM LEAP-1B engines; in 2018, a Fedex Boeing 777 freighter had flown 100% SAF. Etihad cut CO2 emissions 72% on a London-Abu Dhabi flight, while others such as Emirates and KLM, too, have used SAF blends on flights.
  • CFM and Airbus are collaborating to ground and flight test a direct combustion engine fueled by hydrogen, in preparation for entry-into-service of a zero-emission aircraft by 2035. The demonstration will use the A380 platform to test the hydrogen combustion engine in cruise phase.
  • All Nippon Airways, or ANA, has implemented Fuel Insight, a GE Digital software suite that uses data from the aircraft to reduce emissions and meet 2050 net zero goals. Fuel Insight helps increase sustainability across their operation — from fuel usage, to airspace efficiency, predictive maintenance, and flight crew performance.
  • Composite materials, additive manufacturing, and new combustion technologies have helped 15% better efficiency in GEnx engines than their predecessor and the GE9x engines achieve NOx emissions 55% less than regulatory requirements. Turbine shrouds made from Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) materials and additively manufactured fuel nozzle tips are examples of engine parts driving the efficiency. CMCs, an advanced material containing silicon carbide fibers, is one-third the weight of traditional metal alloys with two times the temperature capability, helping reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Additive manufacturing involves using computer-aided designs to "print" a metal part from powder, layer by layer.
  • GE’s jet engine cleaning technology 360 Foam Wash has crossed the milestone of one thousand washes. An alternative to the water wash method, the 360 Foam Wash injects a proprietary solution that removes dust and dirt particles and restores engine performance. With a GE90-powered Boeing 777, foam wash has the potential to save an estimated 35,500 gallons of fuel and 377 tons of CO2 emissions per year compared to engines cleaned with water. Besides Air India, carriers using the foam wash include Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, and Saudi Arabian Airlines.

The coming years are clearly exciting in the world of aviation as it moves towards a more sustainable future. We at GE Aerospace are committed to help the industry make the transition in a manner that makes compelling business sense.

*The piece has been put together by GE based on publicly available sources

In conversation with a GE representative, Mr. E.P Jayadeva, Director (Operations) of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), talks about how upcoming technologies play a pivotal role in navigating growth opportunities in the aviation sector, HAL’s contribution and India’s priorities for catalysing aerospace & defence through Make in India.

1. India is a key market for military business for all global OEMs, how does HAL view these military opportunities?

Global aerospace and defence industry is going to see an upward trend with the increase in defence expenditure from the countries with major military powers in the world. The recent events of war and geopolitical issues are expected to lead to a higher impetus for increasing military capabilities. Simultaneously, some of the countries with weaker economies are likely to face financial stress.

Meanwhile, India’s Aerospace and Defence sector is at a point where all the three services of its armed forces are experiencing significant changes through modernization programmes. In alignment with these changes, the Ministry of Defence has laid out a comprehensive strategy for equipment modernization through capability enhancement and capital acquisition plans.

Considering the opportunities in the Indian military market, HAL is fully equipped and determined to meet the Indian customer demands. HAL has a strong research acumen acquired through our concerted efforts to achieve indigenous solutions, building on the years of experience in working on both fixed wing as well as rotary wing platforms. In fact, out of the total 31 platforms manufactured by HAL, 17 are indigenously designed and developed, which is a testimony to our strong research, design and development capability. In addition, our indigenous platforms are all state-of-the-art platforms in their respective class, like multi-role helicopter ALH Dhruv and dedicated attack helicopter LCH, both designed and developed by HAL, indigenous fighter LCA Tejas by ADA in partnership with HAL, the development of which obviated the need for importing fighter platforms from abroad, not only saving significant FE to the country but ensuring availability of lifecycle support within the country. This know-how will definitely provide an edge for the company in the years to come. To meet the future requirements of the Indian defence services, HAL has taken up various initiatives with a focus to maximise indigenous content in our platforms.

Considering the requirement of the fifth-generation stealth fighter, HAL is designing structures, systems, and LRUs in the AMCA program. HAL is also developing Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) aircraft with ADA to suffice the needs of IN.

Towards the advanced fighter training of pilots, HAL has taken up the development of - Lead in Fighter Trainer (LIFT) aircraft. The IAF maintains and operates a sizeable fleet of Medium Lift Helicopters (MLHs), catering to a variety of tasks. MLH is required to move men and material between places where conventional modes of transport make it impossible to do so within the required time frame. MLH fleet is regularly tasked to undertake missions for military communications, aid the civil power in cases of civil unrest, natural disasters, etc. These helicopters will be due for phase-wise replacement from 2028 onwards. Considering the upcoming requirements of Indian Defence Forces, HAL has taken up the design and development of the Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH) for IAF and IA and Deck Based Multi-Role Helicopter (DBMRH) for the IN. The IMRH & DBMRH projects are envisaged to be implemented through a public-private partnership model by involving the private industry players through an SPV.

In the coming years, UAVs / UCAVs are expected to play a crucial role in various aerial missions. Combat Aircraft Teaming System (CATS) is a futuristic concept conceived by HAL wherein manned and unmanned aerial vehicles are working hand in hand to achieve missions deep inside the enemy territory. Considering the future requirements of engines, HAL has taken up the design and development of a 25kN turbofan engine (HTFE-25) for fixed-wing aircraft and 1200 kW turboshaft engine (HTSE-1200) for helicopters.

2. What are HAL’s priorities for catalysing aerospace & defence through Make in India?

Deliverance of superior technology solutions to the customers by leveraging our infrastructure and design, manufacturing & service skills.

Aerospace & defence is a high technology domain and requires significant investment and expertise to transform ideas into a business case. In the present context where HAL’s future sales are almost exclusively based on indigenously designed and developed products such as the LCA, ALH variants, LCH, LUH, HTT-40, etc. showing increased emphasis on in-house R&D products. HAL has 10 R&D centres, which are focused on the development of fixed wing and rotary wing platforms, manned & unmanned, as well as airborne equipment such as engines, avionics, and mechanical systems. With a multitude of R&D projects that are being undertaken by HAL right now, in no time, HAL will be the exclusive agency catering to aviation industry requirements worldwide while being a staunch contributor to the Atmanirbhar Bharat in the domain of aeronautics.

To achieve self-reliance in the design, development, manufacture, upgrade, and maintenance of aerospace equipment.

HAL has contributed immensely to operational readiness of the defence forces and to building the country's aerospace manufacturing ecosystem. Very few companies in the world can boast of providing end-to-end solutions, from design to certification to product support. If today the Indian armed forces are still able to fly Cheetahs, Chetaks, Jaguars, Avro HS 748, etc, even after 40 years of induction, where OEMs have closed their production lines, it is only due to the continuous efforts of HAL in upgrades, obsolescence management, and indigenisation.

Strategic partnerships with DRDO establishments, CSIR Labs, and premier academic institutions to foster the country's advancement in the field of research and technology development.

HAL has been successfully collaborating with these agencies in programs Like LCA, AMCA, UAV, etc. We aim to optimise the available resources within India without duplicating them.

Opportunities to the private industry for indigenisation under Make in India

Over the years, HAL has played a pivotal role in developing an aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem in the country by integrating domestic vendors as supply chain partners of HAL for manufacturing as well as design & development of defence equipment. HAL has developed a domestic vendor base of over 2100 vendors. Many of these vendors have upgraded themselves to aerospace industry standards. As a result, they have become part of the aerospace manufacturing ecosystem in India, and some have been able to graduate to be part of the global supply chain.

In all major HAL programs for manufacturing, Indian private companies are part of the HAL supply chain. In fact, HAL has been outsourcing nearly 30% of its workload to boost defence manufacturing in the country. HAL had outsourced several critical work packages such as fuselage, wing, air intakes, control surfaces, other structural assemblies, gears, critical machined components etc. of major platforms like LCA, SU-30 etc. for manufacturing to the Indian private sector, including MSMEs and has various ongoing agreements for the supply of the same.

Looking at the two major orders received by HAL during the past two years, Indian private industry participation, including MSME are as follows:

• Around 140 Indian agencies are HAL's channel partners in the design and development of various systems of LCA Tejas. Further, over 60 Indian manufacturing companies are producing detailed parts for the structure build. More than 200 Indian companies are involved in tooling, GSEs and GHEs supplies for the program. Major structural components such as fuselages, wings, air intake assemblies etc. of the LCA Tejas aircraft are being sourced through outsourced partners from the Indian private industry.
• About 200 Indian Companies, including MSMEs, are also involved in the LCH program as supply chain partners.

With the greater involvement of these private defence companies, HAL has assumed the role of an integrator which fosters local industry growth as Tier-I / II partners and drives skill development of the young Indian workforce.

Indian private industry contributes to defence manufacturing/ services through lower cost and time frames due to lower overheads. Moreover, by continuously upgrading their technical capabilities and becoming centres of excellence, they help in reducing imports.

Further, to promote the participation of the Indian defence manufacturing industry by encouraging private sectors to involve in indigenisation programs, several policies and procedures have been brought up by Govt. of India, which have been implemented across the defence sector. The 'Make' procedure of DAP-2020 has three categories, viz. Make-I (Govt. funded) and Make-II (Industry funded), and Make-III (Through ToT or JV with OEM), which attempts to provide MSMEs a decisive role in defence indigenisation efforts and strives to support greater indigenisation as well as Indian private sector participation in defence acquisition programs.

A framework for implementation of ‘Make-II’ Procedure for DPSUs was issued by MoD in Feb, 2019 to give special thrust on indigenisation through Make-II route. In line with Make-II framework of MoD, HAL Make - II procedure was made and implemented at HAL in Dec, 2019. HAL has also identified the items to be indigenized through Make-II procedure in Srijan portal and also hosted in HAL’s website. Till date HAL has issued EoIs for over 850 items.

MoD issued a framework for implementing the 'Make-II' procedure for DPSUs in Feb 2019 to give special thrust on indigenisation through the Make-II route. In line with the Make-II framework of MoD, the HAL Make-II procedure was made and implemented at HAL in Dec 2019. HAL has also identified the items to be indigenised through the Make-II procedure in the Srijan portal and hosted on HAL's website. To date, HAL has issued EoIs for over 850 items.

MoD's shelf of projects is an ambitious scheme to enhance indigenous capability in the country in the defence sector, where key projects involving high technologies have been identified for implementation through industry led R&D. In this regard, HAL has also identified several key projects and started vendor outreach activities for indigenous development and production of these items.

The Indian multi-role helicopter and deck based multi-role Helicopter projects are envisaged to be taken up on the Public and Private sector Partnership (PPP) model through the SPV route, wherein these helicopters are planned to cater to Indian defence requirements and also for export to friendly third countries.

Recently in Apr 2022, Govt. has amended Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 and the following changes have been incorporated to promote "Atmanirbhar Bharat":

• Going forward, all modernisation requirements of the defence services and Indian coast guard are to be indigenously sourced irrespective of the nature of procurement.
• Appropriate measures have been incorporated to reduce the financial burden on the Indian defence industry, including MSMEs.
• To encourage wider participation and a broad base indigenous defence manufacturing sector in the country, the total order quantities in acquisition cases will be split between shortlisted vendors, wherever viable.
• To create an ecosystem that fosters innovation, encourages technology development in defence, and enables the country's budding startup talent pool to contribute towards self-reliance and indigenisation, the procurement process under the iDEX procedure of DAP 2020 has been simplified.
• The make-II procedure of DAP-2020, involving indigenising defence equipment through industry-funded projects at the prototype development stage, has been simplified.

3. The government is encouraging private players in the defence sector; how is this an opportunity for HAL?

HAL believes in inclusive growth and has been instrumental in nurturing the country's aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem.

By integrating domestic players as supply chain partners of HAL for manufacturing as well as design & development of defence equipment, HAL has been outsourcing nearly 30% of its workload to boost defence manufacturing in the country, which includes several critical work packages such as fuselage, wing, air intakes, control surfaces, other structural assemblies, gears, critical machined components, etc. of major platforms like LCA, SU-30, etc. 

The availability of a matured manufacturing ecosystem and ensuing competition supports the country's growth, and we are happy to be part of this success story. Rather than competitors, we are partners in growth, evident from how HAL engages the Indian private industry in major programs like LCA Tejas, LCH, etc. For instance:

• Systems of LCA Tejas. Further, over 60 Indian manufacturing companies are producing detailed parts for the structure build. More than 200 Indian companies are involved in tooling, GSEs, and GHEs supplies for the program. Major structural components such as fuselages, wings, air intake assemblies, etc. of the LCA Tejas aircraft are being sourced through outsourced partners from the Indian private industry.
• About 200 Indian Companies, including MSMEs, are also involved in the LCH program as Indian supply chain partners.

However, considering the niche technology requirements in the aerospace domain, added with the long gestation, capital-intensive nature, low order volume, etc., there is a need to adopt proper growth models involving a tiered system of robust, reliable growth partners by synergising on the strengths of all involved, to overcome the critical challenges like dependency on the foreign countries/companies for raw materials, power plants, and other equipment to ensure sustainable long term growth for the industry.

4. What are the best practices from the world that India can leverage to emerge as a leader in sustainable aviation fuel?

HAL is sourcing aviation fuel for its requirement from M/s Indian Oil.

Indian Oil and Praj Industry has signed an MOU to set up a JV for the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by setting up production plants in India. Praj Industries shall offer the core technology for the production of SAF through their collaboration with a technology partner (GEVO Inc.) based in the USA. In addition, Praj Industries has obtained a fitness for purpose certificate from Indian Air Force for SAF produced using Gevo's core technology.

Indian Oil also proposed to set up a Bio-Jet Demo Plant in collaboration with Lanzajet at Panipat, Haryana. The proposed SAF facility will utilise the ethanol produced from the 3G ethanol plant at Panipat, based on Lanzatech Gas Fermentation Technology. Lanzajet is already an established technology provider in the SAF sector.

Indian organisations are giving the required focus on SAF to play a significant role in the rapidly growing global SAF industry.

5. What are the upcoming technologies that India can look into/is looking at for its key projects?

Along with Digital Twins of the aircraft, the engineering team can use Metaverse for training, maintenance, repair and operations (MRO).

In an increasingly digital modelling environment, future designs must be on Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) due to the advantages of reduced design errors and minimising/eliminating design iterations. 3D rendering software not only enables CAD designers and engineers to bring their designs to life but also takes advantage of virtual reality and real-time rendering to give customers a one-of-a-kind, immersive viewing experience.

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are quickly becoming invaluable tools for firms. They're particularly handy in CAD applications, allowing engineers to display and visualise their designs at full scale and present them to clients. Deploying AR and VR to support design and manufacturing is one of the uses of the technology in aerospace to show workers how applications are supposed to function. Workers can learn their jobs in a completely virtual world before they begin to execute the manufacturing process.

Complementary to this 3D rendering software is direct metal printing (DMP). It is an additive manufacturing technology that uses 3D CAD data to produce high-quality, complex metal parts. Workers can build detailed metal layers from metal powder particles using a high-precision laser.

As the global aviation industry is committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050, airlines will increasingly invest in various technologies that will help them to optimise fuel costs and reduce their carbon footprint.

HAL is committed to the reduction of carbon footprint. HAL has partnered with M/s ZeroAvia to develop a hydrogen-electric powertrain capable of flying the 19-seat Dornier 228 aircraft.

HAL has continuously invested in renewable energy for its utilisation and undertakes energy-efficient measures to reduce its carbon footprint.

Growth opportunities and the role of technology that can help India's A&D sector touch an estimated growth of $70 billion by 2030.

HAL has initiated several R&D projects to consolidate and capitalise on the expertise gained through the earlier programs. 

HAL is partnering with ADA as a co-design agency for LCA Mk1A, LCA Mk2, and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

Development of Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) will greatly benefit from the successful design and development of landing gear and arrestor hook design HAL has perfected, a feat very few countries in the world have carried out.

Another emerging area that will become imperative in the future is CATS (Combat Air Teaming System). CATS is a futuristic concept that integrates stand-off weapon delivery systems (unmanned platforms) with a manned platform which is the emerging need of the services for the success of future air warfare.

The capability of India to export Brahmos missiles to the Philippines and the procurement of Arjun Mk2 battle tanks as growing technological strengths.

HAL successfully modified the Su-30 MKI aircraft for integration of the Brahmos missile. Currently, HAL is undertaking a contract for modification of Su-30 MKI aircraft of IAF for integration of Brahmos mod, and the contract is planned to be completed by Mar 2023.

6. How has HAL's collaboration with sector players like GE Aviation given a boost to India's progress?

HAL has been actively partnering with OEMs to meet the requirements of the armed forces and increase their footprint.

HAL has partnered with M/s GE to supply F404-GE-IN20 Engines for the indigenous LCA program. Presently, engines are supplied by M/s GE aviation, USA, and HAL has placed an order for USD 716 million (Rs 5375 crores) for F404-GE-IN20 engines for the 83 LCA Mk1A program. The delivery of the engines is expected from Sep 2023.

F404-GE-IN20 engine is perfectly matched with the LCA Mk1, and it has proved to be a reliable engine making the aircraft more lethal for IAF.

HAL-IMGT is carrying out assembly inspection and testing of LM2500 Gas turbines (25MW) under License from M/s GE, USA. HAL has to date, manufactured 24 Gas turbines for various projects of the Indian Navy, viz. P17 (Frigate Class), P71 (Indigenous Aircraft Carrier-1), and P17A project (Frigate class).

*The piece has been put together by GE based on inputs from HAL

Sustainability at the core: The future of flight

Innovations that improve fuel efficiency have come to define the future of flight, and aviation is helping the industry make meaningful progress toward its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. GE Aerospace stands proud in the industry for the scale and ambition it is bringing to confront this problem through solutions across Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as well as hybrid electric and hydrogen-powered flight.

We have been using several long-term strategies to lower our Scope 1 and 2 emissions, including energy-efficient infrastructure investments and optimisation, facility energy contracts derived from lower carbon and renewable-sourced energy, and exploring the use of sustainable aviation fuel and other low carbon fuels at engine testing operations.

In our Sustainability Report 2021, GE's business leaders proudly share our efforts to solve the world's most pressing sustainability challenges in aviation as our pursuit of the future of flight remains unwavering.

Read and download the full report at 2021 Sustainability Report (ge.com)

A year of sustainability: How GE is driving the sustainable aviation story

As we unveil our Sustainability Report 2021, let us look back at some of GE's biggest developments for the year, which include the launch of the Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) Program, as announced by CFM International in June 2021, to demonstrate advanced technologies for the next generation of engines that will use 20% less fuel and produce 20% fewer CO2 emissions than the most efficient jet engines built today.

GE Aerospace's remarkable developments for the year 2021 also include sustainable aviation fuel, software that improves efficiency, hybrid electric propulsion, hydrogen fuel and other technologies.

Read more about it at A Year Of Sustainability Stories: How GE Is Helping Decarbonize Flight | GE News

*The piece has been put together by GE based on publicly available sources