L²INK

Aims of L²INK

Project L²INK is established with the goal of linking various fields of research related to noise and gaseous emissions of small aircraft. The aim is to develop a novel simulation process to predict noise and local pollutants in the conceptual design phase of small aircraft.

The simulation will use high-fidelity CFD simulations to accurately predict noise emissions and account for weather effects on the propagation of noise and gaseous emissions through the lower atmosphere to ensure the realism of results. The developed simulation chain will be used to create new noise-reduction technologies, optimized trajectories, and low-noise and low-emission aircraft concepts.

The simulation process will be validated by comparing results to real flight data from extensive flight tests of existing general aviation aircraft. Low-altitude flyovers will be conducted to measure noise and gaseous emissions simultaneously on the ground, in collaboration with TU Delft, who will provide pollutant measurement equipment and expertise to the project. This will result in the creation of an extensive validation database containing the measurements and all necessary inputs to the simulation process, which will be shared with associated partners such as TU Delft and EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) for future research and eventually contribute to a climate-friendly aviation ecosystem.


Contribution to electric aviation

The introduction of new small aircraft technologies often generates uncertainty and skepticism among communities concerned about the potential noise and pollution they may cause.

The L²INK project aims to accurately quantify the local noise and pollution impacts of hybrid aircraft concepts, thereby allaying fears and increasing public acceptance. The new simulation process will enable developers of innovative small aircraft designs to verify their compliance with noise and emissions requirements in the early stages of the design process.