HERFUSE

Main Goals of the Project

The aim of HERFUSE proposal is to design innovative fuselage and empennages suitable for the future Hybrid-Electric Regional aircraft (HER) that will contribute to the overall target to reduce Green House Gases (GHG) emissions.

HERFUSE will study the challenges on fuselage and empennages layout, material, components, manufacturing and assembly derived by integration of the relevant fuselage systems for HER as defined in the SRIA for a Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft and in HER-01 topic. HERFUSE integrates features and components necessary to regional hybrid- electric propulsion and complementary systems as well as improves weight, durability, Aerodynamic efficiency and operational issues. The technologies and solutions matured in this project shall be aligned and feed with models, analyses and actual test data HERA project on regional aircraft (HORIZON-JU-CLEAN-AVIATION-2022-01-TRA-01).

HERFUSE technologies, manufacturing and assembly of critical components will make feasible achieving the targeted performance gains of HER enablers such as low GHG energy sources (batteries and fuel cells), their storage (probable liquid in hydrogen case), their distribution and management, operational and safety features, thermal management provisions, electrical and thermal insulation. Technical solutions set by the HERFUSE will contribute then to the overall target and studies performed at aircraft level in HERA to reduce emissions. Namely, HERFUSE integration requirements will be concurrent and complementary to the aircraft-level ones set into HERA.

CIRA Activities in the Project

CIRA is the task leader for the conceptual, preliminary, and detailed design of the empennages, which will be investigated in various use cases. Additionally, CIRA is the task leader for the Life Cycle Assessment activity. As part of technical activities, CIRA will be focused on the design of the horizontal empennage, and the provision of a morphing surface will be evaluated as well.

General Project Information

Funding Programme: 

Start Date: 01/01/2024; End Date: 31/12/2026

Official Project Website: https://herfuse.eu/

Coordinating Organization: Leonardo

Partners: ATR, AHE, ADS-S, ADS-G, EASN TIS, UPATRAS, MAREGROUP, AEROSOFT, CEiiA, ASCO, DESA, CIRA, AITIIP, CTA, FADA-CATEC, IDEC, ISQ, ILOT, IDEKO, AIMEN, DLR, CIRA, ANN, AED, INTA, UPM, AAT, MVI, FIDAMC, CT INGENIEROS, CSEM, APPLUS

CIRA Contact: Antonio Chiariello, a.chiariello@cira.it