What challenges have to be overcome to achieve superconducting electric propulsion in aircraft? What are the requirements for achieving FlightPath 2050? Dr. TA Coombs, Senior Lecturer, Electrical Engineering Department at Cambridge University answers these and other questions in the interview here: http://bit.ly/_Interview_Coombs

1. Growing demand and growing research? The future of
electric aircraft from science’s point of view
The growing demand of power requirements is driven by additional and enhanced avionics systems.
The main reason is the increased use of electromechanical and electro hydrostatical actuation, plus
the higher passenger comfort with in-flight entertainment systems. At this year’s More Electric Aircraft
conference, Dr. Tim Coombs, from the Electrical Group & IRC In Superconductivity at the University of Cam-
bridge will be giving an interesting acadmia insight. Before the event, we had the chance to talk to Tim
about academic and industrial exchange, main challenges for commercial aviation and superconductors
in the next generation of electric aircraft. Read the full interview below!
IQPC: Dr. Coombs, we are very happy to have
you with us as a speaker for the upcom-
ing More Electric Engine event. As of now,
you are the Senior Lecturer in the Electrical
Engineering Department at Cambridge
University.
Could you tell us a bit about how you came to be
in that position? Have you studied in Cambridge
and when did you know that you wanted to pursue
electric engineering professionally?
Tim Coombs: I was both an undergraduate and
a graduate student in Cambridge. My college
was Christ’s College. I studied superconduc-
tivity for my PhD in the early nineties with the
discovery of high temperature superconductors it
wasaveryexitingtimeandmyPhDwascarriedoutin
collaboration with Rolls Royce and was looing at
puttingSuperconductingbearingsontheRollsRoyce
Trent.WhenIhadfinishedmyPhD,Isimplycarriedonin
Cambridge becoming a lecturer on 1st January 2000.
IQPC: Where do you see the main challenges for
electric engineering in the context of aviation?
Do you see a difference between commercial and
private aviation?
Tim Coombs: The main challenge is and has
always been the trend towards the more electric and
ultimately the all-electric aircraft.
Commercial aviationwillalwaysbethedriverforthis.
IQPC:What would you say how could the industry
face these challenges?
Tim Coombs: The challenges are being faced all the
time and the major aircraft manufacturers have plans
extending far into the future. There is a place for
government intervention though in the first instance
by defining future standards (e.g. flightpath 2050)
and in the second by supporting the considerable
investment required either directly to the
manufacturers or for the far term by
supporting research within universities.
IQPC: Speaking of solutions – who are the main
innovators? Do you feel that the industry and
scientific institutions are working together
satisfactory? Or is there still room for better
cooperation?
Tim Coombs: The main innovators are manu-
facturers such as EADS, Boeing…., etc. On the
research side NASA are taking a strong
interest. There are many many academic institutions
involved. For the most part I would say that the
systemworkswellespeciallyinthisparticularindustry.
The timescales are long enough to suit
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