Life cycle assessment: A tool to eco-design structural composite parts

The aviation industry is bound by the goals set by the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe ACARE in terms of reducing its environmental impacts and compliance with environmental regulations. Life Cycle Assessment is carried out at early development stages to provide the industry's decision-makers with reliable and scientific information about the environmental impacts of aviation production technologies. Fraunhofer ICT applied this tool for its own developments for structural composite parts, for example, aircraft seating structure. The holistic life cycle approach provides a complete overview of the environmental impact during all the stages of the aircraft parts, by identifying the drawbacks and benefits during each life cycle phase. During the development phase it is still possible to improve the specific technologies in order to reduce the overall environmental footprint of the aircraft part.