Page 28 - European Energy Innovation - Summer 2014
P. 28
Summer 2014 European Energy Innovation
COMMUNICATION
FANTASSY Project
Future Aircraft design following the carrier-pod concept as an enabler for co-modal seamless transport,
passenger safety and environmental sustainability
Air transport has configuration and fleet suitable for regional destinations.
essentially been management. It is envisaged that pods can
“shrinking the planet” be released in flight in extreme
and changing the 3. De-centralized airport emergency situations and land
landscape in terms of economic facilities - Expansion of hubs safely using a fly by wire avionics
and societal conditions for the last by operating from runways system. Powered versions of the
100 years. The anticipated growth reachable through a rail pods can be also considered that
of air transport carries along system, which are distributed will distribute the passengers in
challenges and opportunities around large metropolitan different destinations. The pods
in various aspects of life, from areas. can be adjusted to the current
economics to the environment. European railway/subway,
Currently, one of the most 4. Faster and easier passenger improving the transportation in
challenging areas of aeronautical loading. Europe.
research is the air-vehicle itself,
mainly in what concerns its form 5. Evacuation of the aircraft in The project consortium consists
and operation as passenger case of an emergency that of the Applied Mechanics
aircrafts have kept more or less threatens the survival of the Laboratory/University of Patras
the same basic design since the craft and its passengers. The (GR-coordinator), the National
40’s. “pods” could be released and Aerospace Laboratory of the
safely landed using various Netherlands - NLR (NL), INASCO
For the air-transport of the measures (parachutes, air-bags SA (GR) and Piaggio Aero (IT). ●
future several pioneering ideas etc)
meant for introducing radical Project funded by the EU under
changes in the air-transport 6. Increased flexibility in FP7-AAT-2012-RTD-L0, GA no:309070
system have been proposed. maintenance as the carrier and
The idea investigated within pod may enter scheduled or
the frame of the FANTASSY un-scheduled maintenance
project is the design of the independently leading to a
aircraft as a combination of a smoother operation of the
“carrier” and a “passenger pod”. overall system.
The carrier is a wing platform
with aerodynamic and stability 7. Energy efficient door-to-
devices and the passenger pod door transport services
is an “independent”, detachable and greening of the overall
fuselage structure where the transport system
passengers are placed. The
concept follows the fundamentals From Conceptual to Preliminary
of modular design, developing Design, many aircraft layouts were
pods which can be utilized by investigated, in terms of weight
both railway and aviation. The distribution, efficiency, emissions
benefits from such a concept are and fuel consumption. The final
multiple: layouts are 2 aircrafts with different
characteristics. The Internal Pod
1. Inter-modal passenger Configuration (IPC) is a blended
transport. The passenger/ wing with high aerodynamic
cargo modules will be efficiency as the pods are located
engineered in order to be inside the carrier, suitable for
compatible with both rail and Long range operations. The
air transport modes. External Pod Configuration (EPC)
is a blended wing with externally
2. Increased flexibility in aircraft attached passenger pods,
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
COMMUNICATION
FANTASSY Project
Future Aircraft design following the carrier-pod concept as an enabler for co-modal seamless transport,
passenger safety and environmental sustainability
Air transport has configuration and fleet suitable for regional destinations.
essentially been management. It is envisaged that pods can
“shrinking the planet” be released in flight in extreme
and changing the 3. De-centralized airport emergency situations and land
landscape in terms of economic facilities - Expansion of hubs safely using a fly by wire avionics
and societal conditions for the last by operating from runways system. Powered versions of the
100 years. The anticipated growth reachable through a rail pods can be also considered that
of air transport carries along system, which are distributed will distribute the passengers in
challenges and opportunities around large metropolitan different destinations. The pods
in various aspects of life, from areas. can be adjusted to the current
economics to the environment. European railway/subway,
Currently, one of the most 4. Faster and easier passenger improving the transportation in
challenging areas of aeronautical loading. Europe.
research is the air-vehicle itself,
mainly in what concerns its form 5. Evacuation of the aircraft in The project consortium consists
and operation as passenger case of an emergency that of the Applied Mechanics
aircrafts have kept more or less threatens the survival of the Laboratory/University of Patras
the same basic design since the craft and its passengers. The (GR-coordinator), the National
40’s. “pods” could be released and Aerospace Laboratory of the
safely landed using various Netherlands - NLR (NL), INASCO
For the air-transport of the measures (parachutes, air-bags SA (GR) and Piaggio Aero (IT). ●
future several pioneering ideas etc)
meant for introducing radical Project funded by the EU under
changes in the air-transport 6. Increased flexibility in FP7-AAT-2012-RTD-L0, GA no:309070
system have been proposed. maintenance as the carrier and
The idea investigated within pod may enter scheduled or
the frame of the FANTASSY un-scheduled maintenance
project is the design of the independently leading to a
aircraft as a combination of a smoother operation of the
“carrier” and a “passenger pod”. overall system.
The carrier is a wing platform
with aerodynamic and stability 7. Energy efficient door-to-
devices and the passenger pod door transport services
is an “independent”, detachable and greening of the overall
fuselage structure where the transport system
passengers are placed. The
concept follows the fundamentals From Conceptual to Preliminary
of modular design, developing Design, many aircraft layouts were
pods which can be utilized by investigated, in terms of weight
both railway and aviation. The distribution, efficiency, emissions
benefits from such a concept are and fuel consumption. The final
multiple: layouts are 2 aircrafts with different
characteristics. The Internal Pod
1. Inter-modal passenger Configuration (IPC) is a blended
transport. The passenger/ wing with high aerodynamic
cargo modules will be efficiency as the pods are located
engineered in order to be inside the carrier, suitable for
compatible with both rail and Long range operations. The
air transport modes. External Pod Configuration (EPC)
is a blended wing with externally
2. Increased flexibility in aircraft attached passenger pods,
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
