In order to meet its ambitious climate and energy targets for 2020, the European Union has compiled a climate and energy package which includes a set of binding legislations to ensure these targets are met.
Known as the ‘20-20-20’ targets, they propose three key objectives: a 20% reduction in EU greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels; raising the share of EU energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 20%; a 20% improvement in the EU's energy efficiency. As a consequence, a global cap on aviation CO2 emissions starting in 2020 means that aircraft OEMs are currently feeling the full weight of expectations in terms of producing technologies that are designed to help lightweight future aircraft. Many weight-saving solutions can start in the aircraft cabins by removing traditional metallic seat frame components and the huge amounts of wiring harnesses inside the aircraft. Like some old-fashioned hot air balloon aviator shedding ballast to gain height, industry experts suggest that designers can almost halve the weight of aircraft by using additive-manufactured thermoplastic parts to replace their heavier metallic counterparts and Organic LED lighting products that employ a fraction of the cabling behind the wall. This month’s Interiors section (read more from page 23) shows how aerospace interior designers are being highly creative with weight and efficiency. Lightweight seats now employ advanced composites materials, while LED lighting product designs can save weight on the amount of cabling used around the fuselage to power them. Reducing aircraft gross weight will certainly help, but passengers, including myself, are getting heavier. Some could say these efforts to decrease aircraft weight are just another example of swatting flies to try and reduce the damage caused by elephants. Mike Richardson, editor
