The Aerospace Engineering Podcast

#9 – Faradair founder Neil Cloughley on bio-electric hybrid aircraft and regional aviation

Neil Cloughley is the founder and CEO of Faradair, the UK's leading hybrid aviation programme. Neil has a broad background in the aviation industry ranging from aircraft remarketing and aircraft leasing to starting his own aircraft consultancy business, which found him working with the world's major airlines, OEMS and trailblazing companies like Virgin Galactic. Neil's father developed one of the most advanced unmanned aerial vehicles of the early 1990s, and had a flying prototype before the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator entered service in 1995. Unfortunately, as a result of being slightly ahead of its time, and due to a lack of funds and unfortunate timing, ASVEC UK had to close its doors. Neil is now stepping into his father's footsteps and building the bio-electric hybrid aircraft (BEHA) using many of the lessons he learned from his father. The BEHA is a six-passenger aircraft with a hybrid gas and electric propulsion system, and is to be used for regional travel of around 200 miles. The BEHA has an unconventional design with a triple-staggered wing, an all-composite airframe and a ducted propeller. These design decisions reflect the three key specifications that need to be met to make regional inter-city flight a reality: minimising noise, emissions and operational costs. In this conversation, Neil and I talk about

• the engineering behind BEHA
• the challenging economics of new aviation businesses
• his long-term vision for a regional Uber-like taxi service in the sky
• and much, much more

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on the aerospace engineering blog. If you want to support the show then please leave a review; share it on social media with your friends and family; or support us directly on Patreon, where patrons of this show receive exclusive behind-the-scenes content and special episodes. Thanks a lot for listening!

This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and process, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California.

#8 – Rocket Lab's Lachlan Matchett on democratising access to space and the Rutherford rocket engine

In this episode I am talking to Lachlan Matchett, who is the VP of Propulsion at Rocket Lab. Rocket Lab is a startup rocket company with the mission of removing barriers to commercial space by frequent launches to low-earth orbit. The current conundrum of many space technology companies that want to launch small satellites into space, is that there is no dedicated launch service tailored to their needs. This is where Rocket Lab enters the picture. To provide small payloads with a flexible and dedicated launch vehicle, Rocket Lab has developed the Electron rocket. The Electron is a two-stage rocket that can be tailored to unique orbital requirements and provides frequent flight opportunities at personalised schedules.

In terms of the engineering, there are many interesting features to the Electron rocket, but one of the key innovations is the Rutherford engine that Lachlan Matchett and his team have developed over the last five years. Rutherford is the first oxygen/kerosene-powered engine to use 3D printing for all primary components. In fact, the Rutherford engine can be printed in an astounding 24 hrs, and this is one of the driving factors behind Rocket Lab's cost efficiency and high target launch frequency. So in this episode, Lachlan and I talk about:

• Rocket Lab's business model
• their recent launch success in Jan 2018
• some of the engineering highlights of the Rutherford engine
• and Rocket Lab's plans for the future

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on the aerospace engineering blog. The Aerospace Engineering Blog Facebook page is the best place to get in touch with me if you have suggestions for the podcast or want to leave comments about this episode. Thanks a lot for listening!

This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and process, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California.

#7 – Dr Valeska Ting on smart nanomaterials for hydrogen storage

Today's episode features Dr Valeska Ting who is a Reader in Smart Nanomaterials at the University of Bristol and is researching the use of nanoporous materials for hydrogen storage. Using hydrogen as a fuel source has many benefits. Due to its excellent energy density, hydrogen has long been hailed as an alternative to fossil fuels, but it's also an excellent means of storing renewable energy from solar or wind sources. One of the challenges of storing hydrogen is its low density, meaning that large volumes are required to store efficient amounts of hydrogen to be able to use it as a fuel. This is precisely where Valeska’s research enters the picture. The nanoporous materials that Valeska is working on can increase the density of hydrogen by a factor of a 1000, and therefore provide a key stepping stone towards more efficient hydrogen-powered vehicles. In this episode, Valeska and I talk about multiple aspects of this technology including:

• what nanoporous materials are and how they work
• how they can be used to create multifunctional materials
• what scientific challenges she is addressing to scale-up and improve their performance, and
• how they could be applied to design lighter hydrogen tanks for rockets and aircraft

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on the aerospace engineering blog. The Aerospace Engineering Blog Facebook site is the best place to get in touch with me if you have suggestions for the podcast or want to leave comments about this episode. Thanks a lot for listening!

This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and process, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California.

#6 – Oxford Space Systems founder Mike Lawton on deployable space structures

On this episode of the podcast I speak to Mike Lawton, who is the founder and CEO of Oxford Space Systems (OSS). OSS is an award-winning space technology company that is developing a new generation of deployable space structures that are lighter, simpler and cheaper than current products on the market. These deployable structures deploy antennas and solar panels on satellites orbiting earth, and are tricky to design because they need to package to a fraction of their deployed size, and need to be as lightweight as possible. OSS’ first product, the AstroTube boom, was launched into space and deployed on a cubesat in September 2016. This achievement set a new industry record in terms of development time, going from company formation to orbit in under 30 months. I met Mike at the OSS design office to talk about:

• venture capital funding of "New Space" companies
• how the design philosophy of "New Space" companies differs from established firms
• how origami, the Japanese art of folding, is being used to design more efficient deployable structures
• the flexible composites technology that OSS are developing
• and his vision for the future of space commercialisation

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on the aerospace engineering blog. The Aerospace Engineering Blog Facebook site is the best place to get in touch with me if you have suggestions for the podcast or want to leave comments about this episode. Thanks a lot for listening!

This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and process, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California.

#5 – Concorde Chief Engineer John Britton on supersonic flight

Today I am talking to John Britton. John was the chief engineer of Concorde on the British side of the enterprise from 1994 until Concorde’s demise in 2003. In this conversation, John and I talk about:

• how he ended up as the Chief Engineer of Concorde
• what engineering feats made Concorde special
• why Concorde is no longer flying today
• and what he thinks new supersonic companies need to focus on.

This interview was recorded at Aerospace Bristol, which is a new aerospace museum located at Filton Airfield in the South West of the United Kingdom. From the beginnings of powered flight, Filton Airfield was the birthplace of many a flying machine – from aeroplanes and helicopters to missiles and satellites. Aerospace Bristol represents the new heart to the area’s aerospace heritage.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on the aerospace engineering blog. The Aerospace Engineering Blog Facebook site is the best place to get in touch with me if you have suggestions for the podcast or want to leave comments about this episode. Thanks a lot for listening!

This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and process, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California.

#4 – Kim-Tobias Kohn on electric aviation

On this episode of the podcast I speak to Kim-Tobias Kohn who is a lecturer in Aerospace Engineering at the University of the West of England. Beside his main vocation, Kim is also an avid pilot and runs an electric skateboard startup company. Kim has garnered attention in the media and from aerospace societies in the UK for his unique university project of building an electric glider with his undergraduate students. For obvious reasons, building an electric passenger aicraft that can replace current fuel-powered airliners is significantly more challenging than replacing gasoline cars with electric vehicles. However, there is a growing grass-roots initiative developing in the UK that is attempting to solve some of the regulatory and technical challenges to realise this vision of electric aviation. So in this episode Kim and I talk about:

• the unique regulatory framework for experimental aircraft in the UK known as the E-conditions
• the major technical hurdles that need to be overcome to make electric aviation a reality
• how the UAV/drone sector is opening doors for larger-scale electric aviation
• his university project of building an electric glider
• his dreams for a student-led design, build and fly competition for electric aircraft
• and much, much more

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on the aerospace engineering blog. The Aerospace Engineering Blog Facebook site is the best place to get in touch with me if you have suggestions for the podcast or want to leave comments about this episode. Thanks a lot for listening!

This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and process, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California.

#3 – Airbus Senior Expert Ian Lane on the A350, innovation in aerospace, and diversity in engineering

This episode features Ian Lane, Senior Expert in Composite Analysis for Airbus UK. Ian has more than 40 years of experience in the aerospace industry and his career has taken him from British Hovercraft to British Aerospace, Westland Helicopters and finally to his current role at Airbus. On top of this broad aerospace background, Ian's specialty are modern composite airframes and he was the lead stress engineer on the Airbus A400M and Airbus A350. Ian is also a Visiting Professor in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Bristol, and a great example of an industry leader who knows how to inspire the next generation of young engineers. Indeed, Ian is actively involved with the Airbus Fly Your Ideas campaign, and a regular attendee at many international research conferences.

In this episode Ian and I discuss:

• his career progression for apprentice to Senior Expert at Airbus
• the incredible safety record of the aerospace industry
• why the demise of Concorde wasn't a step backwards
• how to Airbus fosters innovation and out-of-the-box thinking
• why inclusion and diversity in engineering is so important
• and much, much more

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on the aerospace engineering blog. The Aerospace Engineering Blog Facebook site is the best place to get in touch with me if you have suggestions for the podcast or want to leave comments about this episode. Thanks a lot for listening!

This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and process, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California.

#2 – Prof. Paul Weaver on shape, stiffness and smart aerospace structures

This episode features Prof. Paul Weaver, who holds a Bernal Chair in Composite Structures at the University of Limerick in Ireland, and is the Professor in Lightweight Structures at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. Lightweight design plays a crucial role in the aerospace industry, and Paul has worked on some fascinating concepts for more efficient aircraft structures. Paul's research has influenced analysis procedures and product design at NASA, Airbus, GKN Aerospace and Augusta Westland Helicopters, and in this episode we cover some of his past accomplishments and his vision for the future.

Central to this vision is artificial metamorphosis, which is a term that Paul uses to describe structures that reconfigure, adapt and optimise on the fly to changes in the operating environment. Although Paul thinks that this vision of engineering structures is still 50 years into the future, he is well known for his work on a related technology: shape-morphing. The simplest example of a morphing structure is a leading edge slat which is used on all commercial aircraft today to prevent stall at take off and landing. Paul on the other hand envisions morphing structures that are more integral, that is without joints and that do not rely on heavy actuators to function. Apart from morphing structures Paul and I discuss his teenage dreams of becoming a material scientist, his work with Mike Ashby at Cambridge University on material and shape factors, which are now being used the world-over to design efficient structures, and much, much more.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on the aerospace engineering blog. The Aerospace Engineering Blog Facebook site is the best place to get in touch with me if you have suggestions for the podcast or want to leave comments about this episode. Thanks a lot for listening!

#1 – Dr Chauncey Wu on NASA, rocket science and advanced composite materials

Today's conversation features Dr Chauncey Wu who is a research engineer at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Chauncey has worked at NASA for more than 30 years, predominantly in the field of structural mechanics, and has been responsible for designing and testing a number of space structures that have been launched into space. Some examples of his work include structural analyses on the LITE telescope that was launched into space in 1994, as well as optimisation of rocket propellant tank structures, and conceptual design studies of lunar lander vehicles and habitat structures for the colonisation of the Moon. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss Chauncey’s path to NASA as an undergraduate student, the history of NASA and the cultural shift compared to its predecessor the NACA. We answer the question of why rocket science is so hard, and finally we talk about Chauncey’s recent research on a new type of lightweight composite material: tow-steered composites, which could be a game-changer for rocket booster designs.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on my blog. The Aerospace Engineering Blog Facebook site is the best place to get in touch with me if you have suggestions for the podcast or want to leave comments about this episode. Thanks a lot for listening!

#0 – Introduction to the Aerospace Engineering Podcast

Welcome to the Aerospace Engineering Podcast. This podcast features conversations with aviation pioneers in academia and industry about their careers in aerospace and looks into the future by discussing promising new technology.