March 2008 _ safran magazine
safran magazine _ March 2008
10-11
tomorrow
and electrical systems offer more design
flexibility than hydraulic systems for fur-
ther weight savings. Secondly, this design
flexibility also means that systems can
be customized to a heretofore unknown
degree. Last but not least, maintenance
will be more efficient, since electrical sys-
tems allow real-time monitoring and are
easier to troubleshoot than having to find
a hydraulic fluid leak.
But despite these clear advantages,
wires and electric motors will not replace
hydraulic pumps and pipes overnight. The
increased use of onboard electrical power
is indeed a revolution, but to realize the
full benefits the entire aircraft architec-
ture has to be taken into consideration.
And because aircraft design is a long-term
process, all partners and suppliers have to
work together from the outset to develop
tomorrow’s airplanes.
fostering disruptive
technologies
The Safran Power Electronics Center was
launched in 2004 to develop the technol-
ogy building blocks, which will be gradu-
ally integrated in robust new solutions.
Hispano-Suiza is the Group leader for this
program. “SPEC was initiated with the
electrically actuated thrust reverser for the
A380, the first time we faced the chal-
lenges of power electronics on this type of
equipment,” explains Serge Bérenger, Vice
President, Strategy and R&T at Hispano-
Suiza. “SPEC was created as an incuba-
tor to foster the emergence of disruptive
technologies and share this knowledge
with the 11 Group companies concerned
by more electric aircraft. It draws on a
vast network of university labs to lever-
age our own research efforts. In fact, the
success of SPEC depends on striking a
balance between the worlds of industry
and research, as well as on the leadership
qualities of its managing director, Régis
Meuret.”
SPEC has a two-pronged mission: devel-
oping the technologies required, and
managing the risks associated with these
technologies. Both of these aspec