OUR MISSION
Train a new generation of “safety vaccinated” aerospace engineers
The goal of NITROS is to train a new generation of talented young aerospace engineers capable of developing innovative approaches in a unique cross-disciplinary research and training program encompassing Control Engineering, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Modelling and Simulation, Structural Dynamics and Human perception cognition and action, to address complex solutions for rotorcraft safety.
OBJECTIVE 1
Develop a detailed framework for rotorcraft modelling integrating rigid-body and aero-servo-elastic modelling features capable of dealing with structural or propulsion / mechanical system failures in rotorcraft.
OBJECTIVE 2
Understand how humans can safely and efficiently use and be interfaced with rotorcraft technology.
OBJECTIVE 3
Enhance the understanding of the unique and complex aerodynamic environment in which the rotorcraft are working, often in hostile conditions of wake encounter threats, undesirable interactions with obstacles, icing and, brownout conditions.
NITROS is expected to inject a “safety vaccination” approach in the rotorcraft engineering community by training a highly skilled network of young engineers capable of 1) understanding the fundamental complex phenomena characterizing rotorcraft and 2) taking considerable measures for improving actual standards of rotorcraft safety. Indeed, “Whatever progress the airplane might make, the helicopter will come to be taken up by the advanced students of aeronautics” and NITROS is centred on providing unique and outstanding cross-disciplinary research and training opportunities for talented young engineers.
The project is aligned with the European Union endeavour to reduce the rate of aviation accidents by tackling the critical aspects of technology developed for rotorcraft safety.
All these goals can be reached by exposing the young researches to a dynamic network composed by some of the most renewed European engineering schools and research centres working in the rotorcraft field along with industrial partners including rotorcraft manufacturers, operators and certification entities.