Clean Sky

Clean Sky is the most recent EU technology program the European aviation industry hopes will help achieve the ambitious ACARE standards. It forms part of the Joint Technology Initiative of the European Union’s Seventh Research Framework Program.

Clean Sky encompasses six so-called Integrated Technology Demonstators (ITDs) and one Technology Evaluator:

SFWA - Smart Fixed Wing Aircraft
GRA - Green Regional Aircraft
GRC - Green Rotorcraft
SAGE - Sustainable and Green Engines
SGO - Systems for Green Operations
EO - Eco Design
TE - Technology Evaluator

From the very beginning, the project drew a large number of participants from the European aviation industry and from science and research. Further partners for specific activities under the Clean Sky program can be invited to join in through calls for proposals. With an overall budget of 1.6 billion euros, half of which is funded by the EU, Clean Sky is the biggest research program ever undertaken by the European Union.

Clean Sky for further developed geared turbofan technology

Within the SAGE (Sustainable and Green Engine) ITD of Clean Sky five engine demonstrators in different thrust classes and for different market segments will be built and tested by 2015. One of the sub-projects (SAGE-4) is led by MTU.

It is pursued with the aim to further develop the geared turbofan technology, in particular the low-pressure section, in cooperation with other European partners, and test and validate it in 2014. The new generation of geared turbofan engines is targeted at future regional jets as well as short- and medium-haul airliners. The project was officially launched in 2008 and will run through to 2017.