photographist

“Even though I had to design drones in 3D while I was an intern, my passion for aeronautics led me more towards civil aviation where I feel more comfortable than working in military aviation. I hope I will have the pleasure of designing and building systems that will be used by travellers. Improvements in commercial aircrafts are needed to reduce the environmental impact of aviation. Commercial aircrafts are still a mass mode of transportation, and I believe that technological progress on aircraft engines will make them more fuel efficient and will allow aircraft to carry more passengers. A commercial aircraft that is not flying and undergoing maintenance is not profitable to the carrier. Our main issue is to optimize and improve maintenance operations so that they are shorter while maintaining optimal safety so that planes can fly longer and be more profitable to the airline carrier.

The average life expectancy of a large commercial aircraft is 30 years. When a commercial aircraft reaches the end of its economic life, it costs more money both in fuel and maintenance and hence become less profitable. Airlines renew their fleet regularly and this has even become a kind of advertising for them. Airlines can sell their aircrafts to others. A “destruction path plan” has been created from the aircraft’s early stages of development and will be implemented when it can no longer fly. Commercial aircraft need to obtain various certifications from the Authorities (e.g. design certification). The European authority is the ‘European Agency for Aviation Safety’. Each aircraft has an identification number from its development to the end of its economic life. Airlines and maintenance services must then obtain the respective operating and maintenance certificates. The authorities will track the aircraft throughout its entire life.”

Carole Audra
aeronautical student, ESTACA

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