The launch and recovery of aircraft to ships at sea can be a risky and demanding task for pilots. The combination of a confined landing area, a moving ship and the turbulent airflow over and around the ship’s superstructure, known as the airwake, are hazardous during aircraft operations at sea.
Researchers in our Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering have been at the forefront of developing methods to integrate computational ship airwakes into flight simulators to assess their impact on pilot workload and safety.
The computational and flight simulation tools they have developed provide the ability to inform ship design processes, to enhance aircraft operations and to prepare pilots for real-world trials, improving efficiency whilst reducing risk, cost, and fuel consumption.
Our aerospace engineers work at the cutting-edge of this field, with their tools being used during the design phase in ship building for the first time ever, generating transformative real-world impact.
Their ground-breaking research has enabled the roll out of an improved design of the UK Royal Navy’s new Type 26 frigate, leading to greater operational capability on their naval ships. Their research has also reduced the risk, cost and carbon footprint associated with at-sea testing of the Royal Navy’s new HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.
These outcomes were achieved by integrating our aerospace research with BAE Systems’ new world-class flight simulator to improve the efficiency and reduce the risk associated with F-35B Lightning stealth fighter aircraft flight trials operating to the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.
In recognition of the impact that our research had made on their business and operations, this work received the BAE Systems Chairman’s Innovating for Success Award in 2018 and a BAE Systems Executive Committee Innovating for Success Award in 2019.
Our pioneering aerospace engineering researchers are also making an impact globally, through collaboration with international defence agencies around the world, including in the US, Canada and Australia. Their research has influenced international bodies, informing best practice for modelling and simulation methods in NATO working groups.
View our PDF to read more about our research with impact.
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