Editorial

Citation

Singh, R. (1999), "Editorial", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 71 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.1999.12771baa.001

Editorial

I was delighted to respond to the invitation of the publishers and the editor of Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, to take on the role of Academic Editor for this journal which has served the industry for 70 years.

While the journal has, in the past, included peer reviewed articles on key research in the field, the appointment of an Academic Editor underlines the importance of research in a number of advanced technologies that contribute to this field, and gives greater prominence within this journal to relevant, strategically important research.

Civil aviation is now so commonplace that it is assumed that this industry has plateaued out. However, the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead will ensure commitment to technological advances and fierce competition within this field. Passengers will apply pressure to achieve greater comfort and safety levels and reduction in fares. The international community is likely to pay increasing attention to aircraft noise and emissions. Not only will there be concern about the oxides of nitrogen produced during the cruise phase, but the more challenging, longer-term issue of greenhouse gas abatement, and particularly carbon dioxide, will emerge. It remains to be seen whether carbon dioxide reduction will lead to new engine/airframe concepts to deliver substantial reductions in fuel burn and carbon dioxide emissions. The airlines and defence services will seek a better management of risk, life cycle costs and cost of ownership, with the industry moving towards "power by the hour".

For the manufacturers, the management of technical and financial risk and strategic access to markets will drive this international industry to ever closer globalisation. These changes, along with a doubling of civil aviation capacity within the next 15 years, show that this industry has far from plateaued out.

The importance which the aerospace industry places on engineering science, design and manufacturing technologies has led to close collaboration between the industry, research associations and universities. Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal seeks to bring an international perspective of the industry and peer reviewed research contributions together.

On behalf of the journal, may I take this opportunity to thank you for your support in the past. I look forward to your contributions and some challenging articles.

Riti Singh

(Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal has an Academic Editor in Professor Riti Singh CEng FIMechE FRAeS FIDGTE.

Professor Riti Singh is internationally known, both within the gas turbine manufacturing and user industry and in the academic and research community.

Riti Singh is the Deputy Head of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Cranfield University, UK where he is Professor of Gas Turbine Engineering. He is the Director of the University Technology Centres in Gas Turbine Combustion and in Performance Engineering, as well as the Director of the Gas Turbine Technology Centre. His previous post was Head of Propulsion, Power and Automotive Engineering at Cranfield University.

Professor Singh has more than 35 years' experience in gas turbine research, design and development in industry and in postgraduate education, university research and consultancy. He has held senior appointments in Rolls-Royce plc and Asea Brown Boveri in Sweden and was Chief Engineer at Kongsberg Gas Turbines, Norway.

Over the past 15 years, Professor Singh has consulted for 40 organisations including gas turbine manufacturers and users in over 20 countries. He has chaired a number of international conferences on gas turbine technology, given invited presentations and been the keynote speaker at several major international conferences. He has experience in managing technology programmes and has lectured on management of technology and technologists.)