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On Wednesday Bombardier announced the first academic collaboration for its sustainability-focused EcoJet Research Project. The long-standing relationship with the University of Victoria Center for Aerospace Research and British Columbia's SME Quaternion Aerospace was revealed in a press conference hosted by the University. The three organizations presented how a shared vision of the positive role innovation will play in a sustainable transformation of the Canadian aerospace industry led to a collaboration on the flight-testing program for EcoJet.
With Bombardier's expertise as a business aircraft OEM and the CfAR and Quaternion Aerospace with scale vehicles, the collaboration can strengthen innovation capacities and foster new knowledge of next-generation sustainable aircraft.
"Bombardier is proud to support forward-looking aerospace research all while involving a broad network of academic institutions," said Stephen McCullough, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Product Development at Bombardier. "Now that we have publicly disclosed some aspects of the first phases of the EcoJet flight-testing program, it is important for us to give credit and to share the phenomenal response with our partners who are instrumental to this dimension of the research project."
"Collaboration between local businesses and top academic institutions is key in nurturing a strong and thriving Canadian aerospace industry," McCullough said. "Our hand-in-hand work with the University of Victoria is a meaningful example of such innovation pathway that stimulates coast-to-coast skill transfer and talent development.''
The EcoJet Research Project has a goal to reduce aircraft emissions by up to 50 percent through aerodynamics and propulsion. The project debuted about 15 years ago, starting the first phase of flight testing in 2017. In May 2023, Bombardier revealed the first testing phase with a small-scale eight-foot model of a blended-wing body aircraft, representing roughly seven percent of a large business jet, was complete. In October, Bombardier unveiled images of the second test phase to NBAA-BACE convention attendees. The second phase of testing is being completed with a larger, 18-foot-wide demonstrator. Now in phase, two, Bombardier continues moving forward with testing and analyzing data collected through each phase.RELATED STORIES:Bombardier reveals EcoJet phase 2 testing progressBombardier reveals EcoJet progress, completion of phase 1 testing
"For more than a decade, the Centre for Aerospace Research has grown from strength to strength, and our cutting-edge work with Bombardier represents the most significant research partnership in our history," said Afzal Suleman, Canada Research Chair, Director and Professor, Centre for Aerospace Research, University of Victoria. "Through this collaboration, our students and researchers are gaining critical real-world skills while helping to push forward the frontiers of sustainability and redefining the boundaries of what is possible for the future of the global aviation industry."
The collaborative work is driven by Bombardier's market insight and perspective on next-gen aircraft and enhanced with the work done on the design and fabrication of the EcoJet flight test vehicles by Québec-based Bombardier engineers and technicians, as well as BC researchers, engineers and students. All of the flight campaigns on BWB scale test vehicles have delved into behavior in free flight, improving upon the unique flight control laws and showing the benefit of this collaboration. By connecting with university education and training with a possible future commercial application, Bombardier can pursue EcoJet objectives and develop more sustainable aircraft to mature powerful technologies to change the future of aviation.
"We are thrilled to contribute our university's expertise to Bombardier's groundbreaking EcoJet Research Project, a tangible example of UVic's dedication to a brighter future for all through innovation," University of Victoria President Dr. Kevin Hall said. "This collaboration marks a significant step forward in our commitment to sustainability, a greener future for the aviation industry, and the development of cutting-edge technologies that advance the frontiers of science and engineering right here in British Columbia and throughout Canada."