Editorial

Citation

Isikveren, A.T. (2011), "Editorial", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 83 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2011.12783aaa.002

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, Volume 83, Issue 1

Greetings colleagues. First, allow me to take the opportunity of wishing all a prosperous and productive 2011. As for me, this year marks a significant milestone and heralds a new set of professional responsibilities.

It has now been one year since assuming the role as Editor of the Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology (AEAT) journal. It certainly has been a steep learning curve, but I have had a most enjoyable time in not only negotiating the many challenges along the way, but also have been quite pleased in baring witness to a good number of quality articles. Highlights for 2010 were the two special issues devoted to the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain (Vol. 82, Issue 3), and, a selection of papers from Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Intelligent Unmanned Systems (2009 ICIUS), as published in Vol. 82, Issue 6.

Something that became a permanent feature for the AEAT journal in 2010 was the reprinting of seminal technical articles from the past. Continuing with this tradition, Vol. 83, Issue 1 contains an interesting archived paper entitled “Forty years of the aircraft gas turbine: a review of the progress made since the inception of the gas turbine as a prime mover for aircraft”, authored by Kenneth Fulton, Vol. 42, Issue 10, October 1970. I have selected this one because notably 40 years have passed since the aforementioned article was written. In addition, during 2010, a new template standard for article submissions was created and this initiative is posited, through edicts of standardization and consistency, to ensure high-quality manuscript submissions for reviewers to assess. Also in 2010, the AEAT journal switched over to an online manuscript submission platform. I am very confident that in 2011, the state-of-the-art, web-based ScholarOne software, despite some problems during the transition period in the last quarter of 2010, will generate a marked reduction in cycle time between manuscript submission and publication. Finally, please note a new cover for the AEAT journal has been adopted as well. The thinking behind this was to incorporate an inset image that truly captures the theme of making a discernable link between aerospace systems analysis and aerospace systems architecture.

From a professional perspective, January 2011 signifies commencement of my new position as Head, Radical Aircraft Concepts, and, Deputy, Chief Technical Officer, at Bauhaus Luftfahrt e.V. in Munich, Germany. Bauhaus Luftfahrt is a non-profit research organization founded in November 2005 by EADS, Liebherr-Aerospace and MTU Aero Engines together with the Free State of Bavaria. It is an interdisciplinary aerospace research institute with a main focus on integrated systems approaches addressing various aspects regarding fundamental physics, technology, economy, ecology and informatics. Different disciplines are covered by the team of around 30 research scientists including aerospace engineers, physicists, materials scientists, economists, computer scientists, geographers, cultural experts and social scientists. I am very pleased to join the esteemed Bauhaus Luftfahrt team, and, considering my background of aircraft conceptual design, this post will no doubt prove to be an exciting and highly compelling one.

Let me take a moment to reiterate what the vision is for the AEAT journal. I continue to urge all readers and authors to regard AEAT as a platform for disseminating innovative scientific methods, research and technology ideas. Having stated this, the mission statement is extended such that some thought and discussion is given as to how said ideas benefit the design, and/or, development, and/or, project management, and/or, the manufacture, and/or, operation, of current or future aerospace vehicle systems. Furthermore, in order to ensure perpetuity of high standards with the coming generations of aerospace engineering academics and professionals, I also call on those working with aerospace vehicle design and analysis pedagogy to consider submitting articles that cover topics related to novel educational initiatives.

In closing, I have some very sad news to report. It is with great sorrow I announce the recent passing of Mr Terry Savage, my predecessor as Editor of the AEAT journal. Mr Savage joined Emerald Group Publishing Ltd as Editor in 1993 when Emerald (then called MCB University Press) took control of AEAT, Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials (ACMM), and Pigment & Resin Technology (PRT) journals. In fact, Mr Savage had served as Editor for over two decades if one also includes the duties he performed for the antecedent to AEAT, namely, Aircraft Engineering journal, at that time published by Sawell Publications Ltd His dedication and innovative flair as Editor was duly recognized by Emerald when two Leading Editor awards, in 1995 for AEAT and in 1997 for ACMM, were presented to him. As the journals developed overtime, Mr Savage stepped down from ACMM and PRT to concentrate on AEAT only. Indeed, this is a great loss to the aerospace community, and on behalf of the Editorial Advisory Board and Editorial Team, I would like to convey our deepest condolences and thoughts to Mr Savage’s family.

Askin T. Isikveren