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AER8011 : Electrification in Aviation
- Inactive for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Professor Nick Wright
- Lecturer: Dr Simon Lambert, Professor Haris Patsios, Dr Glynn Atkinson
- Owning School: Engineering
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module develops advanced knowledge and capability in the analysis, design and integration of electrified propulsion and power systems for next-generation aircraft.
Students will critically examine electrical propulsion architectures, aircraft power networks and energy storage technologies, including batteries and hydrogen systems. The module considers key system-level challenges such as thermal management, safety, certification, lifecycle integration and the role of electrification in sustainable aviation.
Through technical analysis, system modelling, trade studies and design-based assessment, students will develop the ability to evaluate electrified aircraft concepts, justify architecture decisions and integrate propulsion, power, energy storage and thermal systems within realistic aerospace constraints.
The module aims to enable students to:
1. Critically evaluate electrified propulsion technologies and their implications for sustainable aviation.
2. Analyse aircraft electrical power generation, transmission and distribution systems for hybrid-electric and all-electric aircraft.
3. Evaluate energy storage technologies and their integration challenges, including batteries, hydrogen storage and fuel cells.
4. Analyse hybrid-electric, turboelectric, battery-electric and distributed propulsion architectures.
5. Assess thermal management, high-power electrical systems, hydrogen propulsion and cryogenic technologies.
6. Develop and justify conceptual electrified propulsion architectures using a systems engineering approach, considering performance, safety, certification, lifecycle and sustainability constraints.
Outline Of Syllabus
The module will typically cover:
1. Aviation decarbonisation drivers, net-zero strategies, Advanced Air Mobility and Urban Air Mobility.
2. Energy sources and storage, including hybridisation strategies, advanced batteries, hydrogen storage and fuel cells.
3. Electrical propulsion systems, including high-power-density motors, generators, power electronics, inverters, motor control and propulsion efficiency.
4. Aircraft electrical power systems, including More Electric Aircraft, high-voltage DC distribution, multi-megawatt networks, protection and fault management.
5. Cryogenic and hydrogen systems, including liquid hydrogen storage, superconducting machines, cryogenic cooling and integration.
6. Propulsion architectures, including series, parallel, turboelectric, battery-electric, distributed propulsion and eVTOL concepts.
7. Thermal management, including heat generation, cooling systems and aircraft-level integration.
8. System integration constraints, including structure, mass, performance, safety, certification and operational requirements.
9. Multidisciplinary trade studies for electrified aircraft system design and evaluation.
10. Emerging technologies, technical literature and standards relevant to electrified aviation.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 22 | 1:00 | 22:00 | 2 hours per week for first 6 weeks reducing to 1 per week for final 6 weeks |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 | 3 x 1 hour formative assessments and preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | Preparation and completion of Electrified Aircraft Systems Design and Analysis Report |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 1:30 | 1:30 | Completion of exam |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | Computing lab sessions applying simulation techniques to applications |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | Revision for exam |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 8 | 5:00 | 40:00 | Recommended reading for required knowledge. |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 6 | 5:00 | 30:00 | Tutorial examples |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 28:30 | 28:30 | Reviewing lecture notes; general reading |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The module uses lectures, seminars, problem-based activities and systems design workshops to support Masters-level learning in electrified aircraft systems. Lectures develop advanced technical knowledge of propulsion architectures, electrical power systems, energy storage, thermal management, hydrogen technologies and certification constraints, supporting M1 and M2. Seminars and guided discussions engage students with emerging technologies, decarbonisation challenges, safety considerations and current technical literature, supporting M4, M7 and M8.
Problem-based activities develop students’ ability to analyse power flows, performance trade-offs, system constraints and uncertainty. Systems design workshops require students to integrate propulsion, energy storage, electrical and thermal subsystems into justified aircraft-level concepts, supporting M5 and M6. Together, these methods develop the advanced analytical, evaluative, integrative and decision-making capabilities required for the module learning outcomes.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 100 | 1 | A | 60 | written exam |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | 1 | M | 40 | Electrified Aircraft Systems Design and Analysis Report |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer assessment | 1 | M | Online formative assessment. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The assessment strategy combines rigorous examination of advanced technical knowledge with an applied systems design report. The closed-book examination, weighted at 60%, provides the primary assessment of students’ ability to apply and critically analyse principles of electrified propulsion, aircraft power systems, energy storage, hydrogen technologies, thermal management and system-level constraints. It supports M1 and M2 by assessing advanced knowledge, analytical reasoning, problem-solving and evaluation of complex engineering concepts under time-constrained conditions.
The Electrified Aircraft Systems Design and Analysis Report, weighted at 40%, provides applied evidence of students’ ability to formulate a complex electrified aircraft system problem, compare alternative architectures, evaluate assumptions and uncertainty, and justify design recommendations. It supports M2, M5 and M6 through system-level analysis, conceptual architecture design and integration of propulsion, energy storage, electrical and thermal subsystems.
Where the report explicitly requires use of current literature, emerging technology evidence, sustainability analysis, lifecycle implications, safety, certification and operational constraints, it also supports M4, M7 and M8. The structured report assesses students’ ability to communicate complex system analyses, trade-offs, limitations and justified recommendations to a technical audience, supporting M17.
Overall, the revised balance places greater emphasis on individual technical mastery through examination, while retaining sufficient design-report evidence to support Masters-level systems integration, design judgement and professional communication.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- AER8011's Timetable