Framework for Sustainability in Aerospace: A Proof of Concept on Decision Making and Scenario Comparison

Abstract

AbstractAerospace is a large and growing industry currently dependent on fossil fuels. UK aviation has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.In order for the UK aerospace sector to achieve the sustainability goals, it needs to use the latest technologies while making sure to minimise negative environmental impacts.Ongoing debates claims that the definition of sustainability and its assessment is vague. Companies struggle with quantifying the return on their sustainability investments and necessitate a methodology to aid decision making and quantify improvements against sustainability and profitability. For that reason, this investigation focused on defining a framework to assess sustainability for aerospace manufacturing following a triple bottom line (TBL): profit, people (social responsibility) and planet.The author surveyed a range of major aerospace businesses, including Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing, GKN, Rolls-Royce and Spirit Aerosystems, who are all industrial partners at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). These businesses are all working together to identify and solve the common challenges associated with sustainable manufacturing and contributed their thoughts to the development of this definition.Collected information has been integrated in a trade study framework that helps scenario comparison and decision making. Discrete Event Simulation (DES) has been used to test the methodology, defining and quantifying alternative scenarios. The framework developed in this study aims to help ensuring that aerospace companies remain profitable whilst also fulfilling the industrial Partners’ environmental and societal obligations.