Leonardo has concluded the flight test programme of the C-27J Flying Test Bed, a technological demonstrator aircraft in the European Clean Sky 2 Programme, intended to contribute to ongoing decarbonisation strategies.
In-flight activities of the modified C-27J – which featured innovative wing configurations with surfaces capable of changing shape during flight - will validate the technical solutions conceived and designed by Leonardo’s engineers. “We are registering extraordinary technological results, made possible by an excellent European aeronautical system in which Leonardo is at the helm,” noted Aurelio Calcedonio Boscarino, leader of strategy and innovation at Leonard’s aircraft division.
As well as validating Leonardo’s new configurations and architectures featuring innovative digital flight control solutions, the availability of experimental data will also offer potential for training artificial intelligence algorithms.
Leonardo is a founding partner of the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking (now Clean Aviation JU), Europe’s largest technological research programme for sustainable aviation solutions. It was financed by the EU within the framework of the Horizon 2020 programme and will support technologies required to help meet the European Commission’s commitment of net zero by 2050.
Leonardo concludes sustainability flight test campaign
