Constellium to help develop eco efficient aircraft

An Eco-Efficient Aluminum for Aircraft project has been launched with the aim of offering lighter aluminium to aviation.

The ECEFA project will develop an advanced aluminium product for civil aircraft fuselage skin applications

With a starting point of 10% density reduction compared to current solutions, the project’s aim is to offer weight savings through re-design.

It will also study physical and mechanical performances allowing for reduced fuselage wall thickness, durability of the aerostructure and use of eco-friendly surface treatments. The project will be conducted at Constellium’s Research Centre in Voreppe, France

The project has been launched by The European Programme Clean Sky after a Call for Proposal of the Eco-Design for Airframe Integrated Technology Demonstrator (ITD) coordinated by Dassault Aviation.

The target of Clean Sky, through its €1.6bn ($2.2bn) public-private research, is to provide solutions which minimise the impact of aviation on the environment.