Europe 2021: Trends and new technologies in aviation with Grazia Vittadini, CTO of Airbus

There is no doubt that global air traffic has collapsed by up to 90 percent due to COVID, and this is without doubt the biggest crisis in the history of our industry, the aviation industry. For us, as for many other sectors, the pandemic has turned our world completely upside down. I think it's also interesting to examine what changes are here to stay because of COVID. I have two theses on that. First, even though air traffic is currently depressed, it still holds true that in the long term, aircraft remain the mode of transport for which there is no alternative to quickly and globally connect people and markets. And second, despite the current challenges, the industry continues to invest, specifically in climate-neutral aviation, because that is our goal. If we look soberly at what aviation actually is and what it means to us: aircraft transport people and goods faster and further than any other means of transport, and for the foreseeable future, no other technology can deliver that. For this combination of global reach and high speed, aviation is and remains what I would call a unique selling proposition.

Video conferencing and digital communication in general undoubtedly offer many great advantages, and we naturally use this technology at Airbus as well, in the daily collaboration of our teams around the globe, or for participating in conferences like this one. But ultimately, video conferencing does not replace personal contact. And that is what we are convinced of: people still want to travel. People want to meet physically, both for business but especially for private reasons. In terms of proximity, I believe we all know this need only too well.

First of all, environment and revenue are not opposites per se. Quite the contrary: the pressure for more environmental and climate protection comes not only from society but also genuinely from the economy. Climate and environmental protection will increasingly become truly fundamental for future competitive advantage.

And we focus at Airbus on several technologies, particularly hydrogen-powered gas turbines and the storage of liquid hydrogen, from electric hybrid concepts through to fuel cells. Many of these technologies are supported by government funding programs as well as by the European Union. That means perhaps within the company you've scaled back other R&D investments that no longer serve this goal, and are now really concentrating on... That is certainly our priority. But there is no single standalone solution that truly addresses the challenge of decarbonizing aviation. One must develop several technologies in parallel, and hopefully several viable options will emerge.

Our ambition goes beyond just fewer emissions to truly zero CO2 emissions. Our goal is to develop the world's first commercially viable, completely emissions-free aircraft, with the idea of bringing it to market in 2035. So in 2035, an airline could order an Airbus with hydrogen propulsion. That is our ambition. We see the mid-2030s as the point where we could be market-ready. We have very concrete milestones: in the coming years we will develop technology demonstrators, and with their help we expect to identify the most important technology building blocks by the end of the decade, which we will then pursue further and integrate into a platform. One central building block is already quite firmly established: we are convinced that for future propulsion, hydrogen is one of the most promising technologies, for two reasons. If we produce hydrogen with renewable energy, we can truly fly emissions-free without CO2, and perhaps even without contrails. And hydrogen is already used today in several industries, meaning costs will fall with increasing production. This is truly a unique chance to kill two birds with one stone: advancing environmental protection and securing the competitiveness of Europe's industry in the world of tomorrow.

Burning hydrogen is one solution, using traditional gas turbines modified for this fuel. We are deliberately planning to start on this basis next year. There are also major structural challenges. One must not forget that hydrogen has about one-third the weight of kerosene but requires four times the volume in liquid state to deliver the same energy. And to keep hydrogen liquid, we must cool it to minus 253 degrees. This means the fuel tanks can no longer be stored in the wing, but probably in the fuselage, where we'll see wider, longer, rounder shapes. The entire fuselage architecture will change. But this challenge is somewhat familiar from the space industry, where we also have tanks for liquid hydrogen, so making it work is actually no problem. Well, of course, if it's not a rocket but an aircraft with perhaps 200 passengers, there are additional safety requirements. But Europe is well-positioned for that.

Yes, we are actually working on three different concept aircraft. The first is a turbofan, with a typical range of about 3,500 kilometers, which would also make intercontinental flights possible, carrying approximately 200 passengers maximum. We then presented a turboprop concept with a turboprop engine, also powered by hydrogen combustion in modified gas turbines, for up to 100 passengers over about 1,800 kilometers, so a short-haul aircraft. And then we presented a blended wing body, which I think really symbolizes how one can break free from traditional fuselage architectures when thinking about alternative propulsion systems. This concept offers many advantages, particularly regarding hydrogen storage. The advantage is perhaps more space, the disadvantage is not everyone gets a window seat, but that's already somewhat the case today. We need to reach a decision on this relatively soon.

That's a great compliment. I believe what's really important is to stay true to yourself. It may sound like a cliché, and I'll start with a cliché, but there is a risk that certain patterns are applied, consciously or unconsciously, when it comes to selecting leaders. And when you move outside those patterns, you often get feedback. You hear it often with women in every industry: they're coached to be more self-confident, to speak in a deeper voice, to smile less, and not dress so colorfully. And that is wrong. I believe it's a sign that these patterns are still there, and it's not easy, it's sometimes even painful. But you must stay true to yourself. Only then can you truly unlock the potential you carry within you.