To significantly advance the following development priority:
- AR-3 Integration of the next generation aircraft for zero/low emission aviation.
1. Integration of the next generation aircraft for zero/low emission aviation
The future vision of air transport without net carbon emissions supporting the Green Deal goal includes the introduction of hydrogen (combustion and/or hydrogen fuel-cells), battery-electric and hybrid-electric powered aircraft. These aircraft are currently in the development phase, and their entry into service is not expected until the next decade. Once operations start, their numbers are expected to increase rapidly, which is why the ATM Master Plan sets an objective to ensure that the ATM system is ready to fully integrate them from the start. The goal is that these operations can take place safely, efficiently and without a disproportional impact on conventional (i.e., current generation of kerosene-powered aircraft) air traffic operations.
It is anticipated that these new aircraft will present challenges to ATM in the following areas:
- Evolution of the fleet-mix with increase diversity in aircraft performance: the new aircraft present different performance envelopes than current aircraft for example in terms of cruising levels, cruising speed, final approach speed and rates of climb and descent. This is a challenge for ATM because operations are
