Quebec-based aircraft manufacturer Bombardier announced a partnership with the University of Victoria’s Centre for Aerospace Research.
UVic will work with Bombardier to continue developing the manufacturer’s eco-jet technology. This uniquely styled jet aims to create sustainability up in the clouds.
Rui Pedro Silva, vice president of Bombardier’s functional engineering division, is excited about how the technology could change the world of aviation.
“So we are embedding the wing within the fuselage,” said Silva.
“It offers a totally different cross-section to the airflow, reducing the drag on the airplane, the effort right to travel and then lesser demands on the engine.”
Silva added that Bombardier aims to reduce 50 per cent of their emissions at some point in the future. Silva did not provide an exact timeframe.
For UVic, the partnership is an opportunity to train students with special hands-on skills to help all of us fly towards a more sustainable future.
Mina Hoofar, dean of the engineering computer science department, knows how important it will be for students to learn with their hands instead of sitting in a classroom all the time.
“We are trying actually to re-invent our education in a way that’s not just theory in the classroom,” said Hoofar.
“So our co-op, the mandatory co-op that we have for engineered students, is one aspect of that. UVic is thriving on sustainability, so that’s why it’s very important to have projects like this.”
As testing for the eco-jets begins to soar with the help of these university students, Bombardier’s ultimate goal is to make a prototype that could be used for commercial flights in the future.
Tchadas Leo
