The Scaled Flight Demonstrator (SFD) is a key demonstrator of the European Clean Sky 2 research programme. The SFD is based on a 1:8.5 scale model of an Airbus A320 and has very accurate flight test instrumentation for carrying out measurements during wind tunnel and flight tests. More than 150 parameters are recorded. The overall SFD project is led by ONERA and aims to validate scaled flight testing to test and mature disruptive technologies that will allow significant reductions in energy consumption, which are needed to accelerate sustainable aviation.
On 30 March 2022, a successful first flight was made at Deelen airbase (NL).
The SFD was operated by the NLR flight crew from a cockpit on the ground. Following a series of qualification flight tests in the Netherlands, the SFD will be transferred to Italy to carry out mission flight tests later this year. Following the mission flights, the SFD will be reused to test and mature Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) for future large passenger aircraft. This DEP-SFD is under development and is planned to have its first flight in 2023.