Bill Read reports from the 27th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS) in Nice, France
This week Aerospace International will be reporting on the 27th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS) in Nice held from 19-24 September. The congress provides a unique forum for scientists, engineers and students from industry, government and academia to meet and exchange ideas on the latest topics affecting the future of aerospace.
First founded in 1957, ICAS is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation designed to encourage the free exchange of information on aeronautical research and technology. Its membership comprises 30 national aerospace societies (including the RAeS), together with national and international research centres, universities, companies and institutions.
At the event, experts will present around 430 papers covering a wide variety of topics, covering aircraft designs, construction and operations. Subjects covered include future aircraft concepts, engines, noise & emissions, aerodynamics, blended wings, construction materials, flapping wings, supersonic and hypersonic concepts and space systems. A large number of papers will also look at current and future UAV designs, systems and operation.
The event provides a unique opportunity to look into the future at the possible directions that aerospace and the aviation industry might be taking in the years to come – such as more-environmentally-friendly aircraft designs, the introduction of large and small UAVs into civil airspace and new blended wing and supersonic civil airliner designs. Although it will be impossible to give details of all the papers (there are 11 simultaneous sessions!) we will be reporting during this week on some of the highlights, as well as a follow-up report in the November issue of Aerospace International.
