Engineers Australia has partnered with the Australian Division of the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) to bring the world’s largest aerospace conference to Brisbane this week.

Running from 23-28 September, the 28th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS) attracts the world’s leading aviation and aerospace experts, and is being hosted in Australia only for the second time in the event’s history.

“While aerospace science and aeronautical engineering might seem quite removed from most people’s day-to-day lives, many of the technological innovations and aeronautical issues discussed at the conference will be very familiar,” said Andrew Drysdale, President of the Australian Division of the RAeS

“Among the topics discussed at the conference will be the effects of climate and volcanic eruptions on air traffic networks. Volcanic eruptions have wreaked havoc on international air travel over recent years, most recently creating major disruptions to trans-Tasman flights. With the potential for huge financial costs, effective air traffic management during these events is critical.

“The conference will also showcase developments which have the potential to revolutionise air travel and aircraft, including the use of composites in aircraft design. Composites such as carbon fibre have most recently been showcased across a range of next generation aircraft designs and offer significant operating efficiencies over traditional materials.

“The science and technology of hypersonic flight (flying at over five times the speed of sound) will also be featured at the conference. Australia is closely involved in research into hypersonic flight, which is a truly revolutionary aspect of aeronautical science.

“The 28th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences is a fantastic opportunity for Australian researchers to feature on the international stage. Bringing together such a large group of the world’s leading aviation and aerospace experts is an Australian first, and Engineers Australia is proud to co-host this important event,” Mr Drysdale said.