Development of key technologies to address a new wing design for a HER aircraft maturing up to TRL5: manufacturing, assembly, structural concepts and processes, concept studies, configuration and architecture trade offs for a full wing component are part of the activity. As a physical demonstration concept, the detail design and manufacturing of the relevant components of a centre wing section of a HER Aircraft will be addressed. Conceptual wing studies: configuration and architecture (structural arrangement, Systems allocation and disposition, flight control system) trade offs for a full wing. Full wing structural arrangement mock up for innovative wing concepts, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization studies for definition of the optimal structural configuration of wing. Demonstration platform: wingbox, high lift devices, control surfaces, load alleviation devices focusing on the centre section as a demonstration platform: - Integrated Centre section wing box structure with the inner Propulsion stage: Full span (pylon to pylon) torsion box concept representative of more ambitious tip 2 tip concept. Multispar concept, Access manholes and panels, Sustainable aviation fuel and Integrated Fuel vent systems. - Inner section Leading Edges, Integrated Inductive ice protection system integration, Multifunctionality: erosion, impact, Lightning, ice protection, Morphing concepts, Functional tests, Bird strike tests (virtual or real) - Inner section Flap and high lift solutions: Integrated flap solutions. Multifunctionality application to flap. Key processing technologies: Low cost-high integrated out of autoclave technologies. Dry fiber placement and liquid resin infusion for integrated multispar torsion box. Thermoplastic composites processing: In situ consolidation for integrated flap skin and Leading edge applications. Thermoplastic welding and co-consolidation for Integration. Bonding technologies exploration towards certifiable solutions.

COLOSSUS paves the way for future European aviation products and services which are designed in a truly holistic approach and to thus provide a major contribution to the digital transformation of aviation and air transportation in order to enable European competitiveness in a key industrial sector. The expected outcomes of COLOSSUS provide Europe’s aviation sector with the platform to develop new and breakthrough product and technology in a holistic system-of-systems approach. Main technical objectives of COLOSSUS are: (1) To create a Transformative Digital Collaborative (TDC) Framework that allows European aviation to perform research, technology development and innovation in a holistic system-of-systems approach. The TDC Framework shall support modelling, analysis, optimisation and evaluation of complex products and services under consideration of real-world conditions. (2) To expand and test the capabilities and performance of the TDC Framework with two Use Cases, both of which address needs identified in the Work Programme and thus possess a value of their own: Use Case 1: Creating a business model for sustainable 4D-intermodal mobility and evaluating the concept for performance, competitiveness, environmental impact and life cycle footprint. Use Case 2: Developing an integrated fast-response approach for preventing, detecting and fighting wildfires by combining latest developments in the fields of aircraft design and technology, automation, AI and digitalisation. (3) To perform conceptual studies for two products which could be transverse technology enablers for multi-modal mobility and affordable decarbonisation of aviation: a multi-role seaplane with hybrid propulsion and a product for eVTOL-based advanced air mobility of passengers and goods.

The Airframe ITD aims at re-thinking and developing the technologies as building blocks and the “solution space” on the level of the entire or holistic aircraft: pushing aerodynamics across new frontiers, combining and integrating new materials and structural techniques – and integrating innovative new controls and propulsion architectures with the airframe; and optimizing this against the challenges of weight, cost, life-cycle impact and durability.