The 13 partner syndicate – which is a mix of established and young companies, including Belfast Harbour and Bombardier, academia and local public bodies – is the only Northern Irish or maritime recipient of the UK Research and Innovation flagship Strength in Places Fund.

The growing global desire to cut CO2 emissions from all modes of transport has finally begun to drive significant change within the maritime industry.  Under a new international agreement issued by the International Maritime Organisation, the global maritime sector has committed to cutting emissions by at least half, by 2050, however, a number of countries have more ambitious targets. For example, the UK has committed to being carbon neutral by 2050; its Clean Maritime Plan, building on its Maritime 2050 strategy, aims to reduce pollution to improve public health and protect the environment, calling for all new maritime vessels to be designed with zero-emissions capable technologies, from 2025 onwards.

Our concept for an electric hydrofoil propulsion system is totally unique and will enable vessels of the future to operate with up to 90% less energy, and produce zero emissions during operation.

Iain Percy OBE

Artemis Technologies has developed a new approach to maritime design, more in line with aerospace and motorsport, using bespoke simulation and performance prediction tools to develop digital twins in the design process, and utilise new lightweight structures and modern manufacturing techniques.

A hydrofoil is a wing-like appendage under the hull of a vessel. As the vessel increases its speed the hydrofoils lift the hull up and out of the water, greatly reducing wetted area, resulting in an order of magnitude reduction in drag. Over the last two years, Artemis Technologies has been developing a commercial application for this technology, named the eFoiler Propulsion System (eFoiler).

The eFoiler is based on the integration of an ultra-high-density electric Motor Generator Unit into an autonomously controlled carbon fibre hydrofoil. With a minimal increase in wetted surface area and drag, it provides the first viable solution for the early adoption of high-speed zero-emissions maritime transport.

This technology will reduce the drag of a conventional fast ferry or traditional passive ‘V’ hydrofoil, by up to 90%, uniquely making electric propulsion, with high-speed and range, commercially viable.

The members of the syndicate/consortium for the zero-emission ferries are: Northern Ireland Advanced Composites Engineering (NIACE), Creative Composites, Invest Northern Ireland, Ulster University, Belfast Harbour, Bombardier Belfast, North Down Borough Council, Energia, Catalyst, Belfast Met, Belfast City Council, Ards and Queen’s University, Belfast.

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Employees impacted by these temporary shutdowns will be placed on furlough, as will corporate office employees whose support functions are less critical in the short-term. During this furlough period, Bombardier’s CEO and senior leadership team will forgo their pay, and the Chairman and members of Bombardier’s Board of Directors have agreed to forgo board compensation for the remainder of 2020.           

Since the coronavirus outbreak, the company has been focused on keeping our employees safe, serving our customers to the best of our ability during these difficult times and taking the necessary actions to protect our business for the long term

Pierre Beaudoin, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Bombardier Inc

Bombardier is also suspending its 2020 financial outlook as it evaluates the impact of temporarily closing its Canadian operations, as well as other actions being taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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Saertex supplies Bombardier in Belfast with textile reinforcement materials and carbon fibre non-crimp-fabrics to produce wing skins for the A220 aircraft using its resin transfer infusion (RTI) manufacturing process. Bombardier’s carbon-fibre wings are currently the largest and most complex composite structures designed, manufactured and assembled, using this infusion technology.

Saertex’s carbon-fibre, non-crimp-fabrics was developed especially for Bombardier’s Resin Transfer Infusion manufacturing technology. The resulting significant weight savings help the A220 deliver unbeatable fuel efficiency in a single-aisle aircraft.

The wings of the A220 are built by Bombardier at the company’s Belfast plant in Northern Ireland. Spirit AeroSystems has entered into an agreement with Bombardier to acquire its aerostructures and aftermarket activities in Belfast, Casablanca and Dallas. The transaction is expected to complete in the first half of 2020 and remains subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

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The resin-infused advanced composite aircraft wing underpins the Airbus A220 and is the first certified commercial aircraft wing made using resin transfer infusion (RTI). The RTI process sees a complex structure created by placing the dry fabric into moulds before impregnating it with liquid resin, which then sets into shape under heat and pressure. While other processes involve pre-impregnated carbon fibre requiring intensive refrigeration before manufacture, the RTI process uses less energy, fewer parts and results in a lighter wing. Compared to a conventional metal wing, Bombardier’s carbon composite wing is approximately 10% lighter helping to reduce fuel burn in flight, with an accompanying reduction of CO2 and NOx emissions.

The £520 million investment in Bombardier’s aircraft wing programme is the largest ever single inward investment in Northern Ireland and around 200 suppliers across the UK are directly involved with the programme alongside many others throughout the supply chain.

Bombardier was chosen from a shortlist of four finalists that included Darktrace, M Squared and OrganOx. Founded in 1969, the MacRobert Award is overseen by the Royal Academy of Engineering and is the UK’s longest-running engineering prize.

The Award honours the winning organisation with a gold medal and the team members with a cash prize of £50,000. It recognises engineering teams that demonstrate outstanding innovation, tangible societal benefit and proven commercial success within the UK engineering sector.

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The light aircraft category has continued to weaken since the economic downturn, and as a result the company will record a pre-tax special charge in the fourth quarter of 2014 of around $1.4 billion mainly relating to the impairment of the Learjet 85 development costs.

Additionally, Bombardier will reduce its workforce by approximately 1,000 employees at its sites in Querétaro, Mexico, and Wichita, United States. A severance provision of approximately $25 million will be recorded as a special item during the first quarter of 2015.

The Learjet 85 program was launched back in October of 2007 with a mockup of the aircraft unveiled at the NBAA show in Orlando a year later. The aircraft fits between the midsize and the super midsize segment of the market, and was to feature a composite structure.

Pierre Beaudoin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier said;

Bombardier constantly monitors its product strategy and development priorities. Given the weakness of the market, we made the difficult decision to pause the Learjet 85 program at this time. We will focus our resources on our two other clean-sheet aircraft programs under development, CSeries and Global 7000/8000, for which we see tremendous market potential. Both programs are progressing well.

Bombardier’s Wichita and Querétaro sites will remain critical facilities in key markets. Wichita is a multifaceted facility and is the location of final assembly activities for the Learjet 70 and Learjet 75 aircraft, the Bombardier Flight Test Centre as well as a Service Centre. In addition to contributing to many of Bombardier’s aircraft programs, the Querétaro site recently completed its Global 7000/8000 aft fuselage manufacturing building.

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The new CSeries aircraft family will utilise advanced structural materials with composites used in the empennage, rear fuselage, nacelle and wings. Bombardier claim the CSeries will offer a 15 per cent cash operating cost advantage and a 20 per cent fuel burn advantage.
 
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The maiden flight marks the start of the CSeries aircraft’s flight test program leading up to the first customer delivery, and was also the first flight for Pratt & Whitney’s new Geared Turbofan PurePower engine as part of an aircraft certification program.

During the flight the CSeries FTV1 reached an altitude of 12,500 feet (3,810 metres) and an air speed of 230 knots (426 km/h). In-flight tests included flap and landing gear retractions and extensions; in-flight manoeuvres that included a simulated landing; and early validation of the flight control system.

Mike Arcamone, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft said;

On behalf of Bombardier’s leadership team, I extend my gratitude to everyone who was involved in making this flight such a great success, the patience, care and quality that has gone into the CSeries aircraft’s development program shone through today as we celebrate this milestone achievement of the first all-new, single-aisle aircraft that will revolutionise the 100- to 149-seat commercial aircraft market – with its outstanding economics, reduced environmental footprint and exceptional flying experience.

As of today, Bombardier has booked orders and commitments for 388 CSeries aircraft, which include firm orders for 177 CSeries airliners. Some 15 customers and lessees have joined the CSeries aircraft program.

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The new facility will sit alongside the Honeywell operation in Phoenix, AZ and will pod Honeywell’s engines into GKN Aerospace designed and manufactured nacelles for HTF7000 powered aircraft – including Bombardier, Gulfstream and Embraer business jets. GKN Aerospace will then deliver the complete propulsion system, on Honeywell’s behalf, directly to the appropriate airframe end customer assembly line.

The Arizona site will commence operation in the autumn of 2013, becoming fully functional by the end of the year when it is expected to employ up to 50 people, handling the podding of engines for the Bombardier CL300 and CL350, the Gulfstream G280 and the Embraer 450/500 business jets. At capacity, the site will be capable of assembling 28 complete power systems per month.

Phil Swash, CEO, GKN Aerospace – Europe and Special Products explains

We have worked closely with Honeywell since the commencement of their highly successful HTF7000 engine programme in the late 1990s – with our engineering team designing the nacelle to be uniquely adaptable and multi-application. These engines have now been selected to power several different aircraft and so the time is right to establish a more geographically and logistically efficient location for the integration process. Our new operation will allow us to cut transport costs, reduce cycle times and extend the flexibility of the service we offer Honeywell and their aircraft prime customers.

GKN Aerospace has been delivering nacelles for the HTF7000 series of engines for well over a decade and in 2008 gained a lifetime supply contract which included responsibility for the full nacelle/engine integration process. Since then all work has been undertaken at the manufacturing site for the nacelle, either in St Louis, Missouri or Cowes in the UK.

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Delivery of the composite winglets has followed a three-year design, test and manufacturing programme which has minimised winglet weight and complexity and maximised aircraft fuel efficiency through improved design and manufacture and assembly. The CSeries aircraft is scheduled to enter into service in 2014.

The winglets will make an important contribution to the CSeries aircraft’s targets in relation to fuel burn, emissions, range and performance, which will beat any current aircraft in its class. Across aviation, winglets are transforming the performance of aircraft, reducing wing drag to bring significant fuel savings − with consequent reductions in aircraft emissions and improvements in payload and range.

Phil Swash, CEO – Europe & Special Products Group, GKN Aerospace said;

The design and development of this winglet has involved the full expertise of our team. We are commencing now on a production programme that will continue beyond the end of the first quarter of this century.

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The new composite structure will improve performance and minimise drag through smoother aerodynamics, the composite structure will also increase passenger comfort by allowing for the use of complex curves in the aircraft cross-section, thinner wall thickness to maximise cabin space. An airframe made using composite materials will also require less maintenance and is easier to repair.

Alongside the arrival of the first complete aircraft wing, the fuselage for Flight Test Vehicle 2 has successfully completed its integrity inspection. Installation of the nose, bulkheads, floor, windshield and door surrounds are scheduled to begin in the coming days. Once complete the main fuselage will be shipped to the final assembly line.

Wings for the complete aircraft static test article are expected to arrive from Querétaro by the end of November as preparations for static ground testing continues.

Ralph Acs, Vice President and General Manager, Learjet.

Seeing the wings arrive for our first Learjet 85 test aircraft is a wonderful moment. A moment that could not have happened without the hard work and dedication of every single person involved in this project, this development program is gaining ever more momentum as we tirelessly work towards first flight and the first customer delivery.

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