Systems Analysis Approach for the NASA Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project

This conference paper describes the current systems analysis approach being implemented for the Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project within the Integrated Systems Research Program under the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. The scope and purpose of these systems studies are introduced followed by a methodology overview. The approach involves both “top-down” and “bottoms-up” components to provide NASA’s stakeholders with a rationale for the prioritization and tracking of the ERA portfolio of technologies. The ERA technologies enable the future fleet of aircraft to operate with a simultaneous reduction of aviation noise, emissions and fuel-burn impacts to our environment. Examples of key current results and relevant decision support conclusions are presented along with a forecast of the planned analyses to follow.