Branch Lectures & Events

RAeS lecture in cooperation with DGLR, HAW-Hamburg & VDI

Featuring one of the most voluminous cargo holds of any civil or military aircraft flying today, the Airbus Beluga plays a key role in keeping Airbus production and assembly network operating at full capacity. The current fleet of 5 Beluga, based on A300-600, carries complete sections of Airbus aircraft from different production sites around Europe to the final assembly lines in Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany.

To support the A350 XWB ramp-up and other production rate increases, Airbus will gradually replace its current Beluga’s with six BelugaXL aircraft, derived from the company’s versatile A330 widebody product line. Veronique Roca, Chief Engineer of the BelugaXL, will tell us about the BelugaXL since its launch in Nov 2014. With the First Flight in July 2018, the BelugaXL is now completing the Flight Test Campaign and will achieve certification in Q4 2019.

Veronique has been BelugaXL Technical Director & Chief Engineer since 2016.  As part of her mission she holds the Technical Authority to define and validate the target configuration of the aircraft, in line with operational and certification requirements, and meeting highest safety standards. Previously, Veronique was A330 Chief Engineer for France for two years.

 Poster_2020_01_23_BelugaXL-3.pdf (143 KB)

RAeS lecture in cooperation with DGLR, HAW-Hamburg & VDI

Describing the life of a Royal Air Force fighter pilot in the 1970s with a focus on the exciting job of chasing Soviet Tu-95 'Bear' long-range reconnaissance aircraft over the North Sea as they approached UK airspace.

In addition Nick will also talk shortly about his experiences flying the A340-600 and other Airbus aircraft

During a 19 year career in the RAF, Nick moved from the Phantom to the Hawk T1 trainer as an A1 fast jet Qualified Flying Instructor, then back to the Phantom to become a Qualified Weapons Instructor.  He then moved to Australia on an exchange tour flying the F/A 18 for the No 77 Sqn RAAF, and finally back to the UK to fly the Panavia F3 Tornado Air Defence Variant.

After obtaining his Air Transport Pilot’s Licence and leaving the military, Capt. Nick joined Virgin Atlantic Airways flying the Airbus A340-300, Airbus A340-600, and the Airbus A330-300 on long haul flights.

Listen to podcast with Nick Anderson

 Poster_2020_03_19_Chasing_Bears.pdf (160 KB)

RAeS Lecture in cooperation with DGLR, HAW-Hamburg & VDI

The lecture looks at how Concorde came into existence. It starts with the Supersonic Transport Committee in the UK, and early research in France, and covers a selection of alternative SST configurations. Next comes the establishment of a joint Anglo-French programme and descriptions of the workshare and various areas of necessary research (engines, materials, etc). Then an assessment of the noise issue, back-up research aircraft, and finally flight testing. The talk ends with Concorde's entry into service.

 Poster_2020_04_02_Building_Concorde.pdf (108 KB)

RAeS Lecture in cooperation with DGLR, HAW-Hamburg & VDI

More information about Rich Graham

The world’s fastest and highest flying aircraft was conceived as early as 1958 by the renowned aircraft engineer, Kelly Johnson. The gigantic leap in technology he and his engineers had to overcome at the Lockheed “Skunk Works” was phenomenal. Built in total secrecy, the first Blackbird flew on April 26, 1962. The Blackbird’s only purpose was to gather highly classified intelligence on hostile countries around the world. Flying at Mach 3+ speeds and cruising at over 85,000 feet, the SR-71 could survey over 100,000 square miles every hour, gathering millions of bits of intelligence. When cruising at over 2,200 mph, with skin friction temperatures reaching 600 degrees F., the SR-71 performed at its very best.

Col. Richard Graham flew the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird from 1974-1981. 

DGLR lecture in cooperation with HAW Hamburg, RAeS Hamburg, VDI & ZAL

So alt wie die Raumfahrt ist die Idee von Raumfahrzeugen mit Flügeln für die Rückkehr nach ihrer Mission ins All. Vereinzelte Entwürfe benötigen Flügel auch für den Start. Insgesamt sollte damit eine Wiederverwendbarkeit von Raumflugkörpern etabliert werden. Allerdings erreichten zahlreiche Konzepte nie die Einsatzreife, obwohl z.B. das deutsche Transportsystem "Sänger" durchaus zukunftsträchtig erschien. Erfolgreich war hingegen der 30 Jahre lange Einsatz der Space Shuttles der NASA von 1981 bis 2011 als Multifunktions-Raumtransporter, welche u.a. zum Aufbau der Internationalen Raumstation ISS genutzt wurden. Für neue staatliche und private Raumfahrtprogramme kommt derzeit (z.B. für die X-37B) und künftig (z.B. für den "Dream Chaser" und die XS-1) auch wieder Shuttle-Technologie zur Anwendung.

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DGLR lecture in cooperation with HAW Hamburg, RAeS Hamburg, VDI & ZAL

In 2019 EASA started work on a definition of a labeling system for the aviation industry. Work with students at HAW Hamburg lead to a definition of an Ecolabel for Aircraft already in 2017. The lecture reports on international progress with reporting and labeling schemes related to aircraft. The HAW Hamburg definition of an Ecolabel for Aircraft is explained, based on which commonly used passenger aircraft are evaluated. This leads to straight advice for travelers about what to observe when booking a flight in order to limit the environmental footprint.

 poster_2020_06_04_EcoLableForAircraft.pdf (369 KB)

Annual Gerhard Sedlmayr Lecture

RAeS lecture in cooperation with DGLR, HAW Hamburg, VDI & ZAL 

Lecture in English