Aerospace Engineering Podcast

Neil Cloughley is the founder and managing director of Faradair, the UK's leading hybrid aviation programme. Neil has a broad background in the aviation industry ranging from aircraft re-marketing and aircraft leasing to starting his own aircraft consultancy business, which found him working with the world's major airlines, OEMs and trailblazing companies like Virgin Galactic. Neil's father developed one of the most advanced unmanned aerial vehicles of the early 1990s, and had a flying prototype before the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator entered service in 1995. Unfortunately, as a result of being slightly ahead of its time, and due to a lack of funds and unfortunate timing, ASVEC UK had to close its doors. Neil is now stepping into his father's footsteps and building the bio-electric hybrid aircraft (BEHA) drawing from many of the lessons he learned from his father. The BEHA is a six-passenger aircraft with a hybrid gas and electric propulsion system, and is to be used for regional travel of around 200 miles. The BEHA has an unconventional design with a triple-staggered wing, an all-composite airframe and a ducted propeller. These design decisions reflect the three key specifications that need to be met to make regional inter-city flight a reality: minimising noise, emissions and operational costs. In this conversation, Neil and I talk about the engineering behind BEHA the challenging economics of new aviation businesses his long-term vision for a regional Uber-like taxi service in the sky and much, much more If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by supporting it directly on Patreon, where patrons of the podcast receive exclusive behind-the-scenes content and special episodes. Thanks a lot for listening! This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and processes, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California. Selected Links from the Episode Faradair and the BEHA Neil's vision of an UBER in the sky The Journey of an Aerospace Startup --- Royal Aeronautical Society lecture Profile of Neil Cloughley Faradair partnership with Swansea University ProDrive's partnership with Faradair

In this episode I am talking to Lachlan Matchett, who is the VP of Propulsion at Rocket Lab. Rocket Lab is a startup rocket company with the mission of removing barriers to commercial space by frequent launches to low-earth orbit. The current conundrum of many space technology companies that want to launch small satellites into space is that there is no dedicated launch service tailored to their needs. This is where Rocket Lab enters the picture. To provide small payloads with a flexible and dedicated launch vehicle, Rocket Lab has developed the Electron rocket. The Electron is a two-stage rocket that can be tailored to unique orbital requirements and provides frequent flight opportunities at personalised schedules. In terms of the engineering, there are many interesting features to the Electron rocket, but one of the key innovations is the Rutherford engine that Lachlan Matchett and his team have developed over the last five years. Rutherford is the first oxygen/kerosene-powered engine to use 3D printing for all primary components. In fact, the Rutherford engine can be printed in an astounding 24 hrs, and this is one of the driving factors behind Rocket Lab's cost efficiency and high target launch frequency. So in this episode, Lachlan and I talk about: Rocket Lab's business model their recent launch success in Jan 2018 some of the engineering highlights of the Rutherford engine and Rocket Lab's plans for the future I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by becoming a patron. Also, as of this writing Rocket Lab is hiring, so make sure to check out their careers page. You can tune into Rocket Lab's future launches by following Rocket Lab on Twitter. What have you learned from this episode? Let me know on Twitter by clicking here. This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and processes, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California. Selected Links from the Episode Rocket Lab Electron rocket Rutherford Engine Careers at Rocket Lab Rocket Lab on Twitter Follow the Humanity Star Lachlan Matchett wins Young Engineer of the Year Jan 2018 launch "Still Testing" (launch video countdown at 14:50) Rocket Lab's upcoming launch "It's Business Time"

Today's episode features Dr Valeska Ting who is a Reader in Smart Nanomaterials at the University of Bristol and is researching the use of nanoporous materials for hydrogen storage. Using hydrogen as a fuel source has many benefits. Due to its excellent energy density, hydrogen has long been hailed as an alternative to fossil fuels but it's also an excellent means of storing renewable energy from solar or wind sources. One of the challenges of storing hydrogen is its low density, meaning that large volumes are required to store efficient amounts of hydrogen to be able to use it as a fuel. This is precisely where Valeska’s research enters the picture. The nanoporous materials that she is working on can increase the density of hydrogen by a factor of a 1000, and therefore provide a key stepping stone towards more efficient hydrogen-powered vehicles. In this episode, Valeska and I talk about multiple aspects of this technology including: what nanoporous materials are and how they work how they can be used to create multifunctional materials what scientific challenges she is addressing to scale-up and improve their performance, and how they could be applied to design lighter hydrogen tanks for cars, aircraft or even rockets I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by becoming a patron. What have you learned from this episode? Let me know on Twitter by clicking here. This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and processes, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California. Selected Links from the Episode Valeska's research: Research profile Nanoporous materials for automotive applications YouTube video of her research What is a nanoporous material? Outlook and challenges for nanoporous materials

On this episode of the podcast I speak to Mike Lawton, who is the founder and CEO of Oxford Space Systems (OSS). OSS is an award-winning space technology company that is developing a new generation of deployable space structures that are lighter, simpler and cheaper than current products on the market. These deployable structures deploy antennas and solar panels on satellites orbiting earth, and are tricky to design because they need to package to a fraction of their deployed size, and need to be as lightweight as possible. OSS’ first product, the AstroTube boom, was launched into space and deployed on a cubesat in September 2016. This achievement set a new industry record in terms of development time, going from company formation to orbit in under 30 months. I met Mike at the OSS design office to talk about: venture capital funding of NewSpace companies how the design philosophy of NewSpace companies differs from established firms how origami, the Japanese art of folding, is being used to design more efficient deployable structures the flexible composites technology that OSS are developing and his vision for the future of space commercialisation I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by becoming a patron. This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and processes, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California. Selected Links from the Episode Oxford Space Systems: Technology overview  AstroTube AstroHinge Origami and unpacking in space (Part 1, Part 2) First product launch Harwell Space Cluster Catapult Satellite Applications NewSpace UK Space Agency Funding Prof. Zhong You, Oxford University Asteroid mining

In this episode I am talking to John Britton. John was the chief engineer of Concorde on the British side of the enterprise from 1994 until Concorde’s demise in 2003. John possesses a wealth of knowledge regarding the engineering behind Concorde, and its heritage in Bristol, UK. Because he was the chief engineer at its demise, he also has a unique insight into why the aircraft is no longer flying today. In this conversation, John and I talk about: how he ended up as the Chief Engineer of Concorde what engineering feats made Concorde special why Concorde is no longer flying today and what he thinks new supersonic companies need to focus on This interview was recorded at Aerospace Bristol, which is a new aerospace museum located at Filton Airfield in the South West of the United Kingdom. From the beginnings of powered flight, Filton Airfield was the birthplace of many a flying machine – from aeroplanes and helicopters to missiles and satellites. Aerospace Bristol represents the new heart to the area’s aerospace heritage. I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by becoming a patron. This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and processes, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California. Selected Links from the Episode Aerospace Bristol museum Heritage of Filton Airfield Sir George White The Bristol Aeroplane Company British Aircraft Corporation Concorde: Timeline  The Concorde Story documentary Powerplant, fuel system, wing and skin temperatures The demise of Concorde: video and article and another article The Concorde rival: Tu-144 Overview The Paris Crash (ironic that Concorde too would crash in Paris 30 years later) Return of supersonic commercial flights with:  Boom Supersonic (video)  Spike Aerospace (video)

"We need to get going into the future in terms of clean aviation" --- Kim-Tobias Kohn On this episode of the podcast I speak to Kim-Tobias Kohn who is a lecturer in Aerospace Engineering at the University of the West of England. Beside his main vocation, Kim is also an avid pilot and runs an electric skateboard startup company. Kim has garnered attention in the media and from aerospace societies in the UK for his unique university project of building an electric glider with his undergraduate students. For obvious reasons, building an electric passenger aircraft that can replace current fuel-powered airliners is significantly more challenging than replacing gasoline cars with electric vehicles. However, there is a growing grass-roots initiative developing in the UK that is attempting to solve some of the regulatory and technical challenges to realise this vision of electric aviation. So in this episode Kim and I talk about: the unique regulatory framework for experimental aircraft in the UK known as the E-conditions the major technical hurdles that need to be overcome to make electric aviation a reality how the UAV/drone sector is opening doors for larger-scale electric aviation his university project of building an electric glider his dreams for a student-led design, build and fly competition for electric aircraft and much, much more I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by becoming a patron. What have you learned from this episode? Let me know on Twitter by clicking here. This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and processes, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California. Selected Links from the Episode Kim's electric glider project and his YouTube Vlog Kim's company emotion engineering (UAV's, electric skateboards and aerial photography) More info from the University of the West of England about the undergraduate electric glider project Royal Aeronautical Society on electric flight The UK E-conditions Airbus, Rolls Royce and Siemens E-fan hybrid electric aircraft EasyJet on electric aircraft Wired on electric aircraft Electric flight potential and limitations Formula Student and Formula SAE SolarFlight solar-powered planes Boeing 787 Dreamliner battery problems

"You could say: What could we possibly do next? You look back at history and say: All the shelves must be full now! We must have the capabilities to do everything we need. And yet, we still go on...It's your generation that is going to Mars. So please, can you get on with it and do it, because I want to enjoy it from the augmented reality that other engineers are going to produce." --- Ian Lane This episode features Ian Lane, Senior Expert in Composite Analysis for Airbus UK. Ian has more than 40 years of experience in the aerospace industry and his career has taken him from British Hovercraft to British Aerospace, Westland Helicopters and finally to his current role at Airbus. On top of this broad aerospace background, Ian's specialty are modern composite airframes and he was the lead stress engineer on the Airbus A400M and Airbus A350. Ian is also a Visiting Professor in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Bristol, and a great example of an industry leader who knows how to inspire the next generation of young engineers. Indeed, Ian is actively involved with the Airbus Fly Your Ideas campaign, and a regular attendee at many international research conferences. In this episode Ian and I discuss: his career progression from apprentice to Senior Expert at Airbus the incredible safety record of the aerospace industry why the demise of Concorde wasn't a step backwards how Airbus fosters innovation and out-of-the-box thinking why inclusion and diversity in engineering are so important and much, much more I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by becoming a patron. What have you learned from this episode? Let me know on Twitter by clicking here. This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and processes, consider attending the SAMPE 2018 Technical Conference and Expo in Long Beach, California. Selected Links from the Episode Airbus in Bristol & Filton, UK British Hovercraft Company Westland Helicopters (for a time known as AugustaWestland and now Leonardo Helicopters) Sikorsky Crisis, also known as the Westland Affair British Aerospace (now known as BAE Systems) The EU TANGO project (overview slides) A400M and A350 airframes, and contrasts between the two Evolution of composite application at Airbus Airbus Helicopters NH90 and Tiger Bend-twist coupling in aircraft wings Clean Sky initiative New aerospace metallic alloys Additive manufacturing and bionic 3D printing at Airbus Aerospace testing pyramid and virtual testing Burt Rutan and Scaled Composites A picture history of aviation safety and the "anti-fragile" nature of aircraft design Concorde demise and the Concorde Museum Airbus Fly Your Ideas Diversity at Airbus, Diversity & Inclusion in Engineering Women of NASA Lego Evolution of flying machines

"There's been a lot of good press from the science community on self-assembly of atoms. Well, I guess what I'm looking for is self-assembly and disassembly of large-scale structures...There is all sorts of exciting things we can do when [engineering] structures re-configure themselves." --- Prof. Paul Weaver This episode features Prof. Paul Weaver, who holds a Bernal Chair in Composite Structures at the University of Limerick in Ireland, and is the Professor in Lightweight Structures at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. Lightweight design plays a crucial role in the aerospace industry, and Paul has worked on some fascinating concepts for more efficient aircraft structures. Paul's research has influenced analysis procedures and product design at NASA, Airbus, GKN Aerospace, Augusta Westland Helicopters, Vestas (and many more), and in this episode we cover some of his past accomplishments and his vision for the future. Central to this vision is artificial metamorphosis, which is a term that Paul coined to describe structures that re-configure by dis-assembly and re-assembly to adapt and optimise on the fly. Although Paul thinks that this vision of engineering structures is still 50 years into the future, he is well known for his work on a related technology: topological shape-morphing. The simplest example of a morphing structure is a leading edge slat, which is used on all commercial aircraft today to prevent stall at take off and landing. Paul, on the other hand, envisions morphing structures that are more integral, that is without joints and which do not rely on heavy actuators to function. Apart from artificial metamorphosis, Paul and I discuss his teenage dreams of becoming a material scientist his work with Mike Ashby at Cambridge University on material and shape factors interesting coupling effects in composite materials that can be used for elastic tailoring his work with Augusta Westland helicopters on novel rotor blades why NASA contacted him about his research on buckling of rocket shells and much, much more I hope that you get a feel for Paul’s enthusiasm for aerospace engineering. If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by becoming a patron. Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Prof. Paul Weaver! What have you learned from this episode? Let me know on Twitter by clicking here. Selected Links from the Episode Bernal Institute, University of Limerick Paul’s research group at the University of Limerick and the University of Bristol Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down and The New Science of Strong Materials: Or Why You Don't Fall Through the Floor by Prof. J E Gordon Prof. Mike Ashby, materials selection using Ashby plots and its geometrical counterpart: shape factors, CES Materials Selector Second moment of area AugustaWestland AW101 Merlin helicopter that uses bend-twist coupling in the rotor blades to decouple vibration modes Bend-twist coupling of a wing-box explained on the Grumman X-29 Geometrically swept wind-turbine blades for improved performance Imperfection sensitivity of cylinders (the introduction of this paper conveys the message) Video of collapsing soda can and "scientific" crush test Morphing: NASA morphing aircraft FlexSys wing without flaps A project by NASA and MIT on flexible morphing structures NASA shape-shifting wings A morphing air inlet A video featuring Paul talking about his research and vision for artificial metamorphosis Some topics related to metamorphosis are: Molecular self-assembly 4D printing Re-configurable materials The deHavilland Mosquito, the importance of phenolic resins in constructing the Mosquito, and Norman de Bruyne  

"If you're trying to put these structures into orbit, every gram counts. Not just every pound but every gram...So you are making structures that are operating at their margins." --- Dr Chauncey Wu, NASA Langley Research Center Today's conversation features Dr Chauncey Wu, who is a research engineer at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Chauncey has worked at NASA for more than 30 years, predominantly in the field of structural mechanics, and has been responsible for designing and testing a number of space structures that have been launched into space. Some examples of his work include structural analyses on the LITE telescope that was launched into space in 1994, as well as the optimisation of rocket propellant tank structures, and conceptual design studies of lunar lander vehicles and habitat structures for the colonisation of the Moon. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss: Chauncey’s path to NASA as an undergraduate student The history of NASA and the cultural shift compared to its predecessor, the NACA The reason why rocket science is so hard Chauncey’s recent research on a new type of lightweight composite material: tow-steered composites, which could be a game-changer for rocket booster designs And much, much more Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Dr Chauncey Wu! If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by becoming a patron. What have you learned from this episode? Let me know on Twitter by clicking here. Selected Links from the Episode NASA Langley Research Center NASA Glenn, NASA Goddard, NASA Ames and NASA Marshall NASA co-op program The NACA (predecessor to NASA) Bob Gilruth, Chris Kraft Collier Trophy Low-Drag Cowling and Fred Weick John Stack, Larry Bell, Chuck Yaeger and the X-1 Slotted-wall wind tunnel Richard Whitcomb, the Area Rule and the Supercritical Airfoil Science Office for Mission Assessments The safety factor The history of rocketry and a primer on rocket science and lightweight design Tow-steered composites (some further NASA research here and here) ISAAC Imperfection sensitivity of cylinders (the introduction of this paper conveys the message) Video of collapsing soda can and "scientific" crush test NASA Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor (video)  

I am happy and excited to announce a new project on the Aerospace Engineering Blog. To go along with the usual blog posts, I will now be releasing regular podcast episodes that feature conversations with engineers and researchers in industry and academia to reveal their fascinating real-world stories of innovation, and provide a glimpse into the future of the industry by discussing cutting-edge research and promising new technologies. This episode is just a quick primer of what I have in mind, and the first "real" episode will be released in a couple of days. If you have comments about the episodes or want to provide general feedback on the podcast, then please let me know on Facebook. If you find yourself enjoying the conversations, then I would appreciate a quick review on iTunes or Stitcher. This helps others find the podcast online. I will of course be publishing all episodes through this homepage as well, and you will receive notifications when I publish new episodes through the newsletter. You will be able to find archives of all published episodes here, and each episode post will contain show notes with links to further material of the topics discussed. If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by becoming a patron.