The Dutch government aims to reduce all CO2 emissions to zero by 2070. This seems an impossible challenge  for future aviation engineers. How can we make aviation more sustainable? This question was central during ‘SWAPEC 2024: Future of Flight - A Runway to Sustainable Aviation,’ a symposium held at Rotterdam The Hague Airport organized by the student association V.S.V. Sipke Wynia of the Aeronautical & Precision Engineering program at Inholland University of Applied Sciences Delft. Interesting speakers and companies presented their innovations and discussed the challenges facing the aviation industry. The event offered students plenty of opportunities to meet industry professionals and explore their roles as future engineers.

SWAPEC stands for ‘Sipke Wynia Aeronautical & Precision Engineering Conference’ and was organized this year for the 42nd time. Why focus on sustainable aviation? “Because it is important to prepare young professionals for the drastic changes ahead,” says Kiki de Brouwer, chair of V.S.V. Sipke Wynia. The symposium attracted experts and representatives from both large companies and smaller startups, as well as students, researchers, and lecturers from the TU Delft and Inholland University of Applied Sciences. There was also an innovation market with demonstrations from NLR, Saluqi Motors, NRG2Fly, AeroDelft, Vaeridion, and Inholland. The day was chaired by Harm Edens, known from ‘BNR Duurzaam’ (podcast) and ‘Dit was het nieuws’ (TV).

“Extremely interesting to hear about the technological developments taking place and which companies are working on innovations to meet the ambitious goals for sustainable aviation,” says Tjalle Hanzens, a fourth-year Aeronautical Engineering student at Inholland Delft. “It is up to our generation to achieve the climate goals; it’s good to know what skills are expected of us.”

Dutch Ambitions 
Lodewijk Asscher, chairman of the Sustainable Aviation Table, kicked off the event. He emphasized the importance of (global) cooperation and the need for fair prices and kerosene taxes to stimulate innovation. "International travel is essential for building intercultural relationships and avoiding polarization. Instead of blaming individual travelers for pollution, we need to create a viable market and economy for sustainable flying, possibly supported by government subsidies.” He also called on students to help make companies successful in a changing world.

Knowledge Institutes 
Next, senior Airbus strategist Guido Schwartz presented Airbus’s approach to sustainable aviation: “Decarbonizing flights requires groundbreaking solutions that integrate new fuel types and technologies. Besides international cooperation, societal acceptance is also crucial.” Arvind Gangoli Rao, professor of sustainable aircraft propulsion at TU Delft, discussed the impact of new fuels and propulsion designs on emission reduction and aircraft designs, while Denise Eikelenboom from NLR (Netherlands Aerospace Centre) addressed the challenges around certifying new technologies. “It takes courage, perseverance, and especially time to meet all safety standards and develop new ones,” she stated.

Second-Year Project Award Ceremony 
After the lunch break, the award ceremony for second-year Aeronautical Engineering students took place. Their assignment? Design, build, test and fly a remote-controlled electric scale model airplane for extinguishing small fires. The four prototypes, which made their first flights the day before, were on display. “A hugely educational project,” said lecturer Rick van de Ploeg. “These students overcame technical challenges and learned to communicate and collaborate effectively.”

New Initiatives 
The afternoon highlighted various new initiatives. Ron van Baaren, CTO of Fokker Next Gen, represented the hydrogen movement, where the major challenge lies in convincing both technicians and investors of a kerosene-free future. Erik Geertsema, CEO of Conscious Aerospace, and Joseph Michaels presented strategies to accelerate the introduction of hydrogen-electric propulsion systems through retrofit solutions. And Hubert Blijie spoke about the AeroDelft project, in which mainly students from TU Delft and Inholland design, build, and test a liquid-hydrogen-electric two-seater aircraft.

Then the electric movement was spotlighted, with designs such as the Maeve M80, a hybrid-electric aircraft for 84 passengers from Maeve Aerospace, and the Microliner from Vaeridion, with battery engines in the wings. Finally, Joaquin Exalto, Aircraft Performance Engineer at Elysian Aircraft, explained the possibilities of battery technology for electric flights. A potentially shorter range is less relevant, according to him: "80% of all turboprop flights in Europe are less than five hundred kilometers."

Young & Disruptive 
The conference concluded with a panel discussion on the shortage of human capital in sustainable aviation. Young professionals Tessa Mennink (GKN Fokker) and Sjoerd Luijckx (TANIQ) spoke with industry experts Jolanda Stevens (KLM), Frank Jansen (NAG), and Victor Rijkaart (TU Delft). The urgency was clear: within ten years, 50% of the sector will retire. To prevent losing young talent to other sectors, established companies must become more attractive and respond to the needs of the new generation. Sjoerd: “Ensure ownership and give newcomers the chance to make an immediate impact.” Tessa also wants more commitment, as 2050 seems far off: “For that, we need new leadership and structures where talent can grow.” The advice: be transparent about sustainability performance, expand collaboration, and also involve suppliers and the energy sector.

Highly Successful 
The unique mix of speakers and the impressive turnout of industry leaders were, according to Inholland program manager Arnold Koetje, crucial to the great success of the symposium. “The panel discussion could have been a bit sharper, but the young professionals did an excellent job! This, combined with Harm Edens’ knowledge of sustainable developments worldwide, interspersed with a humorous note, made SWAPEC 2024 a very successful edition.”

From 26 to 29 September, the 33rd edition of Europe’s largest international conference for higher education will take place. This time, it is being held in Rotterdam, with Inholland University of Applied Sciences as one of the host institutions. At the annual EAIE conference, education professionals come together to learn, discover trends and meet up

Various different workshops, sessions and lectures will take place during the EAIE conference. Visitors can also take part in the Campus Experience in Delft and Rotterdam on 26 September. In the morning, you’ll see examples of our practice-based education, we'll engage in discussions about internationalisation policy and activities. In the afternoon, you’ll either have the opportunity to explore one of our Living Labs situated on the scenic Southbank of Rotterdam, or visit our green campus in Delft. 

In the Living Lab in Rotterdam students from different disciplines, teachers, researchers, the professional field and community members come together to work on current and future challenges. During the experience in Delft, participants from a wide range of countries including France, the Czech Republic, Spain, Sweden and Mexico will find out more about our education, our labs and the special projects taking place in Delft.

Flappy Project
One example is the Flappy Project run by Mauro Gallo (Biomimicry lecturer). Given the growing world population and increasing demand for food, it is essential for agricultural and horticultural production to increase. However, pests and diseases pose a significant threat to crop yields and can reduce them by up to 10 per cent. Moreover, growers are increasingly restricted in the use of chemical pesticides. This calls for an alternative, sustainable approach.

Through the use of hovering drones, these diseases and pests can be monitored and controlled at an earlier stage. The drones must be small enough to fly between the plants and able to stay airborne for a sufficiently long time. It is also important to optimise energy efficiency in order to achieve an effective and sustainable solution. This can help growers to grow crops sustainably. If it were up to Mauro, several different crops would be grown in a single greenhouse in the future: 'In this scenario, the "Flappy" drones could monitor the crops, help to prevent problems and even let growers know the optimal time to harvest.’

The place where green & technology come together
In short, Inholland Delft is a dynamic environment in which students, researchers and businesses come together to work on pioneering projects and solutions to the complex challenges of today and tomorrow. From robotics and artificial intelligence to renewable energy and biotechnology, a wide range of disciplines are represented.

Campus innovation 
Besides this special project, Richard Oerlemans, director at the Faculty of Engineering, Design and Computing and location director of Inholland Alkmaar, will open the Campus Experience in Delft. With his extensive experience in higher education and his passion for developing talent, he has transformed the Sticky Campus in Alkmaar into a dynamic learning environment: 'I believe that the Sticky Campus in Alkmaar is a true breeding ground for innovation and collaboration. It is a place where knowledge, talent and businesses come together and where new ideas can come to life.'

Study associations
Finally, the two study associations of Inholland Delft, S.V. Futurum Mundus Clementia (FMC) and V.S.V. Sipke Wynia, will also be present. These two study associations focus on different disciplines and areas of interest. They provide a platform that not only allows students to connect with fellow students but also allows them to develop further outside the classroom. By organising lectures, workshops, excursions and social events, the study associations contribute to students' academic, professional and personal growth. They provide a community in which students can support, collaborate and inspire each other. 

It was an exciting moment for the students of Aeronautical & Precision Engineering at Inholland Delft University of Applied Sciences. After a year of working and building their own aircraft, the day to test it on the grounds of the model flying club in Rozenburg, has arrived. Would it be possible to keep the remote-controlled aircraft in the air and collect the necessary data? And maybe even, as icing on the cake, to drop the water balloon you brought with you from the cargo bay in such a way that a fire can be extinguished? 

The development and construction of the aircraft is part of the shift from 'classical' education to project-driven education, which incorporates applying theories learned into practice. Consequently students have to look for the necessary knowledge and skills to solve problems as they go. Moreover, says student Julian Petit, theory and practice are now much more closely related: “You can immediately apply what you learn in the lecture hall. That makes it all much more tangible. You see the effect of your calculations and remember the methods you have used better, because you have already applied them once.”

Super assignment
Because Julian is doing the second year of the program (in which this project takes place) for the second time, he can make a good comparison with the 'old' more traditional educational approach. “Last year it was much more theoretical. Additionally, it was a corona year, I only remember from practical assignments a test on material strength, and that also went via a live stream. This is really a super cool assignment and I really looked forward to the test flights and of course the 'real' flying day. We have been working hard on this for three quarters of a year and I thought it was very exciting whether we would see the result of our efforts.”

Melissa Solomon is originally from Germany and moved to Delft for the English-taught version of the program: Aeronautical & Precision Engineering. Although in the 'Dutch' version Luchtvarttechnologie  much is already done in English, due to the international character of the field. Melissa: “I had always been very interested in this field of study and became more and more convinced that this is what I wanted to do. In and around Germany you don't have many options, especially if you want to follow the course in English, so this was the best option for me. And I actually like it even better than I expected.”

Teamwork experience
Just like Julian, Melissa experienced the practical approach of the assignment as very instructive. She particularly mentions learning and working in teams. “Each group has a coach who knows what a good design should look like and who can provide guidance. But in both semesters we also researched and learned a lot ourselves. I think that is good for our development and certainly also for experiencing what teamwork means. You learn to rely on each other instead of 'the knowledge of the teacher'. The social aspect is also very important, you learn to communicate well with each other. If you only focus on the theory, you are always working alone, you don't work together. While in your future job you also have to work with others.”

Melissa is so enthusiastic about the project ('a very exciting thing to do') that she always looks forward to getting started. Even on Monday morning, she says with a wink. “Take the cargo bay: it had to be designed as efficiently as possible and weigh less than 1 kilo. I have never had to build a mechanism with so many arms, hinges, etc.! We also had to do the programming ourselves, for that we had to look up all the codes and figure out how to implement them, for example for the sensors. It was really great to be able to learn and implement all that as a team.”

The big day
On Monday, May 15th,  all aircraft successfully took off. A total of 11 flights were made and all were successful. All aircraft performed exactly or almost exactly as calculated and managed to collect the necessary data. From a technical point of view a very successful day.

It was also a success for everyone on a personal level. The enthusiasm and pride were evident – and euphoria was shared as the planes took off. There were maiden flights and measurement flights combined with the fire-extinguishing simulation. About half of the teams succeeded in the latter, dropping the water balloon. That may seem like an easy task, but it is quite complex: a mechanism must hold the balloon without breaking it and release it at the desired moment, whereby the hatches also open.

Naturally, the students also ran into problems. For example, small assembling and connection errors were made. For a group a cable turned out to be incorrectly installed. A small mistake, but it takes some time to find the issue, to take everything apart and reassemble the plane. The weather also did not cooperate as hoped, especially in the afternoon when it started raining with increasing wind levels. It was then decided to shorten the program and conclude it with an aerobatics flight. The 'strongest' aircraft was challenged to the limits of the flight envelope with high turns, a barrel roll and fast-flying, among other manoeuvres.

Despite the cold, the atmosphere was completely restored and the approximately 130 attendees were cheering and roaring – the emotion and discharge after a year of hard efforts from everyone. The fact that the wind blew the roof off a tent did not spoil the fun. It was soon joked that the roof came off both literally and figuratively. What follows is data analysis, presentations and evaluation, but the day ended very satisfied and fulfilled for everyone.

During the Engineering Entrepreneurship (EE) Minor, engineering students are given the opportunity to gain experience with entrepreneurship. The main focus is on the development and feasibility of business cases. Students develop these business cases and try to convince stakeholders of their plans. One group of students focused on a sustainable solution for aircraft on the ground. It turned out to be a runway for their own start-up.

During blocks 1 and 2, fourth-year students of the  Luchtvaarttechnologie and Aeronautical Engineering  study programmes are given the opportunity to apply all their technical knowledge during the EE. Over the course of twenty weeks, the students are challenged to set up their own company based on a technological concept. Ultimately, experts in the business world test their business cases. 

Technical feasibility 
Each team is given the freedom to choose different problems and challenges in the market. By means of a service, product or advice, they try to provide a solution for an organisation. This year's theme was Sustainability. Technology must be the starting point in order to prove its feasibility by means of a prototype or concept. Student Mia Jovetić: "During this project, we really get the opportunity to experience what it is like to be an entrepreneur. In recent years, we learnt a lot about engineering. Now we get a lot of information about entrepreneurship." 

Sustainable solution for ground operations
With the Sustainable Aircraft Ground Operations project, group members Mia, Melvin, Greta, Alvaro, Sven, Arnold, Heinrich and Rafael were given the opportunity to come up with sustainable solutions for aircraft ground operations. Mia continued: "We came up with different solutions and contacted airports. This gave rise to our idea for a sustainable, electric taxi vehicle. At the moment, the aircraft themselves taxi from A to B, which is less sustainable and generates a lot of emissions." Melvin van der Linde: "One of the ideas was to make these ground operations more sustainable. With this concept, you would convert kinetic energy of the aircraft during landing into electrical energy."

Registering at Chamber of Commerce 
Mia and Melvin’s group won the EE this year. Because there is a demand from many aviation companies for sustainable solutions for ground operations, the group is continuing with this project and wants to register in the trade register with the Chamber of Commerce. Rafael Schaeffers Félix: "We were often asked whether we wanted to carry on; there is a lot of interest in this idea. So we want to continue this alongside our studies in order to make airports more sustainable." The students in the group really enjoyed getting to know the business aspect of engineering. Alvaro Lopez: "We haven't done this before and you get a good idea of what the industry is really looking for. I think we got involved more closely to global problems and got the chance to solve them." 

Currently, the group of students have started their own start-up. Check out the LinkedIn-page to discover more.

After 16 weeks it was finally time; the self-designed gliders built by Aeronautical Engineering students of Inholland University of Applied Sciences in Delft took to the air. One of the students, Robin Mens, and his team (High Flyers) had their glider reach a height of 110 metres. “We learned so much, from start to finish. It was a very special project to be part of.”

Robin has been fascinated with technology from an early age. According to him, the Aeronautical Engineering programme in Delft includes all aspects that are important to him. Robin is fascinated with motorsport. He hopes to eventually start his career in this industry. “I already have connections with engineers who work in different Formula 1 teams. It would really be a dream to make it in this industry.”

The start of the project
Each year, Aeronautical Engineering students start two projects. One major project is the Design, Build & Test (DBT) project. In 16 weeks, 14 groups of students build different gliders that can reach a height of 100 metres within 120 seconds. The glider that stays in the air the longest wins that year's competition. Robin's group got to work with this information. “We started by coming up with different concepts. Everyone had to come up with their own concept. Next, we looked at which individual elements we could use for the final design.”

Selection of materials
Each group applying an innovative design receives additional points. To earn these points, the High Flyers team chose a unique tail wing for the glider. “We finally decided on a V-Tail. It was difficult to develop, but in the end, we put in a lot of time to get it done.” All groups received a budget for the purchase of materials. “For the selection of materials we had to take into account two aspects; it had to be strong enough, but also lightweight.” The team decided on balsa wood and plywood. Balsa wood is twice as light as plywood and is mainly used for parts that need to withstand less force.

Time pressure
After the design phase, the construction phase started. “We experienced a great deal of time pressure. No one in our group had any construction experience. That made it very tricky at times. So we quickly ordered the materials and just started building, in order to get a better feel for it.” By building the aircraft, the project was a very nice mix between theory and practice. “The DBT project is not just about entering data into computer programs; we really had work with materials.” Unfortunately, the pandemic was the cause for the construction days not always running as smoothly as we'd liked. “We split up the group; three of us worked at school. The others contributed to the calculations from home. We kept in touch through MS-Teams.”

Ready for take off?
And finally, the test phase in which the entire aircraft is examined and technically inspected. The test day is also the competition day, so there is no more time to adjust the aircraft. If you don't fly, the team is eliminated. “It is a very important, crucial moment, everything has to go right on the day. Because a lot of wind had been forecast, we had to assemble in Oosterhout at six o'clock in the morning. I only slept three hours myself.” Every team was present that day. The wind was getting stronger by the minute. Robin's team was the last team. “In the end, our plane made it well over 100 metres. I was super proud of us all.” Unfortunately, the plane did not survive the landing. But the result speaks for themselves. Team Highflyers took first place: Best Overall Project.

Looking back
Looking back on the project, Robin is very satisfied with the result achieved. “The collaboration was difficult at times. Normally you all work on a report at school. This was so much more! It was rather complex and took a lot more time. I have learned that it is very important to maintain good communication, from start to finish.”

Would you like to see the results of all groups? Click on this link.

In recent months, students Aeronautical Engineering have proved that they are just as versatile as the electric aircraft they are building. Development of the aircraft as part of Project DragonFly started at Inholland Composites in Delft in October 2019 and has not stopped since: coronavirus or no coronavirus!

Mark Ommert is the Project Manager for Project DragonFly and used to be an Aeronautical Engineering student himself. He talks enthusiastically about the project, in which an average of 15 students are involved. ‘The programme has been able to develop a broad network in recent months. The fast pace of developments means that major breakthroughs in electric propulsion are set to happen throughout the world in the near future. I’m pleased to say that projects like ours have a very important role to play.’

The website for Project DragonFly went live in May 2020. A feasibility study and technical research were carried out on the construction too, says Arnold Koetje, Programme Manager at Inholland Composites. ‘The government wants the industry to have switched to climate-neutral aviation by 2070, so it is important for us to quickly familiarise ourselves with the technologies that this will require. Electric motors are part of the solution.’

Creative challenges
Luca Baak is one of the students who is involved in Project DragonFly. His final research project focuses on the design for the engine mount in the front of the electric-powered DragonFly - it keeps the electric motor, motor controller and batteries in place. This presented Luca with a whole host of challenges. ‘I had to be very creative. There isn’t much literature on the subject, because it’s not something that’s been done a lot before; electric aircraft are still few and far between at the moment. So, I had to base my design on photos, amongst other things.’

Luca says that some of his fellow graduating students have had to set up workshops at home, to be able to physically test the various aircraft components. He hasn’t had this problem; an advanced design program on his laptop enables him to do his part of the project - which is handy given the current coronavirus crisis. ‘There’s nothing I can’t do: running strength calculations, deciding on the best design and making sure the ultimate design complies with all relevant regulations.’

Luca says that he has learned a lot about project management recently. ‘Working from home, there’s less informal contact between me and my supervisor and lecturers. I can’t quickly ask them a question as I pass them in the hallway, which I would have done normally. So, I have to find the answers I need myself. It’s even more important to make clear agreements about meetings and the next steps to be taken now too. The same applies for self-discipline, because this ensures that you continue to be productive while you’re at home.’

Widely known
The work being done as part of Project DragonFly has come to the attention of parties in the Netherlands and abroad, says Project Manager Arnold. ‘One of these was Saluqi Motors, an Eindhoven-based company that develops electric motors for the aviation industry (and other industries). It says that this type of aircraft is the perfect “airframe” in which to test one of its first electric motors. There are just a handful of manufacturers worldwide, so it’s very special for us to be working with a new, Dutch player.’

Designing, building, testing
The coronavirus crisis is hitting the aviation industry hard, but that doesn’t mean that Project DragonFly will suffer too, Arnold Koetje says. Quite the opposite actually. ‘We stand to benefit from the fact that big companies are facing difficulties and cutting back their research as a result. Also, attention is currently shifting from the subject of aircraft maintenance and more to the designing, building and testing of aircraft - the aspects we focus on here in the Aviation Technology programme.’

Different backgrounds. Similar principles. That is what binds Moaaz Gendy, Ayoub Elsheikh, Jonas Rieder, Koos Lobeé, Anne van der Meer and Kasra Amirani together. Six students of the four-year Aeronautical Engineering programme at Inholland Delft. “We are more like a family”, discloses Moaaz, “and we’re all very driven.” Another big plus is their unity in diversity: the students all bring their own particular bit of expertise to the table. “We are a multicultural and multidisciplinary team, so we all worked on that specific part of the project we enjoyed most.”

That sounds like a good start, but what drives these students? What is their purpose?
If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing. And that is exactly how Vixed tackles their ambition. “Our plan is simple”, Moaaz continues, “we want to transform the industry.” Is it going to be difficult? For sure. Are they motivated? You bet. “We all knew we wanted to make a difference, and Vixed is going to do just that. Our virtual trainings have multiple benefits. Virtual trainings do not require space or the use of practice materials that result in non-recyclable waste. It’s a win-win for companies in the composite industry.” And the benefits do not stop there. Virtual trainings require no supervision, participants cannot hurt themselves and all trainings are recorded for further training purposes.

What are Vixed’s future plans?
“Eventually”, Moaaz continues, “we would like to move beyond composite materials, and focus solely on virtual reality.” The manufacturing of composite materials is Vixed’s first project. And Vixed is definitely on its way: “Inholland Alkmaar wants to use our virtual trainings for the new academic year. To train lab students in a safe environment before they start their actual training.” Even better, the road might be paved with opportunities, since the six students had a showcase at the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), earlier this year. “We want to make the Netherlands a leading player in virtual training.”

And last but not least: Does Moaaz have any advice for his fellow students?
He sure has. Moaaz: “Ideas are way more valuable than we think. Don’t be afraid. Write down every single idea that comes to mind. You don’t need all the knowledge in the world: it starts with a simple idea.” And that is exactly what the members of Vixed did: they believed in their own ideas. Moaaz and his crew are more than ready: “We are ready to start out dream.”