Climate-friendly flying: “A topic that drives us”

The German engineer Sabine Klauke takes care of the future of the aircraft for Airbus. The most important project of the group’s head of technology: making flying more climate-friendly.

Considering that the future of the Airbus Group rests on her shoulders, Sabine Klauke seems very relaxed. After a video conference in her office, a quick chat with her team at the copier – then the manager comes in a good mood to the interview on the fourth floor of the board building at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse: “I think I have the most interesting job you can find in the moment can have in the industry. It’s about preparing for the next few decades.”

More of an opportunity than a problem

Through the large window front you can see the runway of Toulouse Airport, which ends right next to the building. With the planes taking off and landing, Klauke has her daunting task in front of her every day: flying has to become more climate-friendly. She sees this more as an opportunity than a problem: “Mobility is an issue that we will always need, what drives us, what has always driven us in our generation. And it will stay that way – but only if we do it in harmony with our planet and the climate goals that we have set ourselves,” says Klauke.

Like many of the German Airbus employees, the native of Aachen repeatedly mixes English terms into her sentences. “I hardly speak German,” she apologizes. Main language at Airbus is English. Since 2002, the doctor of mechanical engineering has worked in various positions in the Airbus Group: in production, manufacturing or product development. It’s been almost two years 49-year-old responsible for technology on the Airbus board – and thus for innovation. She now oversees more than 12,000 employees around the world.

Growing pressure on airlines and manufacturers

“If we don’t get this issue, which is so important, under control and don’t really fly sustainably in the future, then we might lose our ‘license to operate’, as we call it internally,” says. What is meant by this is the social acceptance of the company. In other words: For Airbus, it’s all about the whole thing. The pressure on airlines and manufacturers to make flying climate-friendly is increasing.

Klauke’s strategy is to take a multi-pronged approach. “There won’t be one single technology that will move the whole thing forward, but we want to start today with what we can already do,” she says. For them, this means making the previous aircraft significantly more economical. She also advocates the use of so-called “Sustainable Aviation Fuels”, i.e. biokerosene from renewable raw materials that do not compete with food production.

Inspired by nature

But you have to think about flying in a completely new way, says Klauke: “We really need disruptive technologies such as new wings, new engines and, of course, hydrogen.” In January, competitor Boeing entered the race for climate-friendly flying with the US space agency NASA and is planning an aircraft by 2030 that will use 30 percent less fuel.

Airbus has set itself the goal of developing a climate-neutral hydrogen aircraft by 2035. One of Klauke’s favorite projects on the way there is currently the development of a new type of wing that has bendable tips and can therefore absorb turbulence and save fuel. The new wings are based on the Albatross. “We take a look at the birds, how they can fly and optimize, balance themselves.”

Finding inspiration in nature is a big topic for Klauke and her developers: “We coupled two airplanes, which then formed up like two geese in migration flight.” One A350 practically flew in the slipstream of the other from Toulouse to Montreal in Canada. “We saved six tons of CO2 on the flight,” says Klauke.

Learn from startups

Sabine Klauke showed her enthusiasm for technology from an early age: “The first thing I was allowed to tinker with at home was my bike. And those were simply topics that always interested me and which I then quickly implemented as a craftsman. As When I was in elementary school, I wanted to be a math teacher. So the basic idea was already there.” Today, for her, it’s more about the combination of technology and logical understanding: “And of course about changes. How to deal with them – and how we can get people excited about them.”

She also wants to change the development processes for innovations. Klauke has set up a research center outside of regular Airbus operations that works in a similar way to a start-up. “We mix people who are good at building airplanes with digital talents and hydrogen experts who work together on specific projects so that we can then quickly carry out physical tests and also be able to fly.” That creates a great dynamic.

There are still many questions to be answered

Airbus also needs this to have a hydrogen-powered aircraft ready for the market by 2035. Klauke already dealt with hydrogen during his studies; now it should be the big hit. Until then, however, there are still many questions to be answered: for example, how hydrogen works in the atmosphere, she says.

According to Klauke, there is still a lot to be done technically – in terms of safety, engines or distribution systems. “We’re talking about liquid hydrogen, which is liquid at minus 253 degrees. That means we have to completely change the systems and we have to learn anew.” She is optimistic that Airbus will be able to do this by 2035 – with a short-haul aircraft. Sabine Klauke will certainly not be bored until then.