The aeronautics industry is building on the advances made since the early 20th century taking us further, faster, safer, and cleaner. In the next 5–10 years, many new capabilities will be introduced, and the next generation will experience flight in ways we are just imagining. AIAA advances these opportunities for novel aircraft design, operations, and impact through its focus on the Aeronautics Domain.
Key Topics
Advanced Air Mobility
Advanced air mobility could grow into a $115 billion industry that gives all of us new transportation options. With clear operational guidelines, regulations, and standards for accommodating and incorporating autonomy, we see a thriving integrated urban and regional airspace in the next decade. The benefits of autonomy will enhance safety for everyone and enable capabilities we are only just imagining.
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Carbon Emissions and Sustainability
The global community is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector by 2050. The AIAA community plays an integral role in this effort that will make a substantial difference to benefit our planet.
Certification
The widespread use of UAVs and drones—both commercial and recreational—prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to adapt its certification processes. Similarly, the FAA must facilitate safe use of AAM systems for passenger and cargo transport. As the FAA refreshes its certification strategy, we expect to see clear specifications, regulations, and standards emerge that will strike an appropriate balance between safety and innovation.
Space launches are close to a daily occurrence and launch sites are infringing on urban environments and large metropolitan areas. The integration of commercial air traffic, AAM, and space launch traffic must receive government attention to help drive global regulatory and certification strategies that ensure safety and continued smooth sustainable economic growth for all stakeholders.
High-Speed Flight
High-speed “transportation” – both military and civilian – is fast becoming a reality. Integrating hypersonic and supersonic flight into the national and global airspace will require attention to operational efficiency, safety through certification, and environmental and societal impacts including noise and emissions. AIAA will address questions around:
- Is sustainable civil high-speed endo-atmospheric flight achievable?
- What role does the government have in promoting hypersonic and/or supersonic flight?
- What technologies are needed to develop and mature efficient and low environmental impact hypersonic and supersonic flight?
AIAA Related Content
EVENTS
![NASA-smallSats NASA-smallSats](/images/default-source/banners/cards/nasa-smallsats.jpg?sfvrsn=2ae6defe_0&MaxWidth=300&MaxHeight=200&ScaleUp=false&Quality=High&Method=ResizeFitToAreaArguments&Signature=AF30F8704E31392E33C6F2F40F9B0774452901FF)
NASA small satellites. | Credit: NASA
Dates/Time: 26 October 2024, 10:00 am – 5:00pm | 27 October 2024, 10:00 am – 2:15pm
The SmallSat Education Conference serves as an important East Coast gathering where educators, administrators, and students will learn about CubeSats, ThinSats, and High Altitude Balloon programs. Our target audiences are faculty and students from middle school through college. Presenters will include existing university teams and industry experts. You will not find a better value as costs as kept as close to zero as possible for students and educators.
COURSES
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Advanced Hydrogen Aerospace Technologies and Design – Online Short Course (Starts 8 October 2024)
8 October - 7 November 2024
This new joint course from AIAA and HYSKY Society, the latest and greatest in hydrogen aerospace technology is presented in the context of Fixed-Wing and eVTOL aircraft/vehicle design.
Open for registration. Register Now
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Guidelines for the Development of Civil Aircraft & Systems
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Composite Structures: Process Analysis, Progressive Damage, Failure Analysis, and Advanced Software
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A Practical Approach to Gas Turbine Engine Performance & Design using GasTurb14
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The Anatomy of Autonomy
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Test Foundations for Flight Test
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Design Evolution of Aircraft Structures
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Guidance and Control of Hypersonic Vehicles – Online Short Course (Starts September 3, 2024)
3 September - 26 September 2024
This course presents a comprehensive overview of the recent, emerging technological advances in hypersonic flight vehicles, with an emphasis on solving a variety of guidance and control problems of hypersonic vehicles.
Open for registration. Register Now
NEWS
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Dan Dumbacher Recognized with Allyship Award
21 August 2024
AIAA CEO Dan Dumbacher is being recognized by Women in Aerospace with their 2024 Allyship Award. This honor is presented to an individual ‘who actively promotes and aspires to advance a culture... -
AIAA Accelerates the Future of Aviation and Space at 2024 AIAA AVIATION Forum and 2024 ASCEND
21 August 2024
The latest aircraft, spacecraft, technologies, and missions were on display in Las Vegas, Nevada, from July 28 until August 2 by AIAA. AIAA co-located two of its signature events – 2024 AIAA AVIATION Forum and 2024 ASCEND – in one venue, Caesars Forum, for the week. -
AIAA and Tripadvisor Launch “Destination: Space” to Open Up Space Tourism to New Audiences
30 July 2024
AIAA and Tripadvisor have launched “Destination: Space,” a new content platform dedicated to space tourism, exploration, and education. “Destination: Space” aims to demystify space... -
AIAA Announces 2023–2024 Section Award Winners
29 July 2024
AIAA has announced its 2023–2024 section award winners. The section awards honor particularly notable achievements made by members of AIAA’s 57 sections around the world in a range of activities that help fulfill the Institute’s mission. -
Penina Axelrad Awarded 2024 Yvonne C. Brill Lectureship in Aerospace Engineering
10 July 2024
AIAA and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) are pleased to announce that Penina Axelrad, distinguished professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Yvonne C. Brill Lectureship in Aerospace Engineering. -
AIAA and Club for the Future Announce Recipient of 2024 Resilient Student Scholarship
9 July 2024
AIAA and Blue Origin’s non-profit Club for the Future are pleased to announce the recipient of their 2024 Resilient Student Scholarship is Rylie Tatum from Mableton, GA. Rylie is a recent high school graduate of The Lovett School, Atlanta, GA. -
AIAA to Recognize Excellence with Awards at the 2024 AIAA AVIATION Forum
17 June 2024
AIAA is pleased to announce the winners of technical and management excellence awards to be presented during the 2024 AIAA AVIATION Forum, 29 July – 2 August, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. Registration is open for the worldwide aviation community to attend. Journalists who wish to cover the forum can request a Press Pass here. -
2024 ASCEND to Accelerate Our Off-World Future with Axiom Space, Boeing, DARPA, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Northrop Grumman, NRO, ULA, and U.S. Space Force
7 June 2024
AIAA today announced dozens of speakers who will appear at its upcoming ASCEND event, 30 July – 1 August, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. ASCEND is the world’s premier...