Paris, June 17, 2025 – A major international study into atmospheric electrical phenomena and what it means for aviation safety has been launched by IFAR (the International Forum for Aviation Research).

The four-year IFAR research project will be coordinated by ONERA, the French research lab, and involve four other international research partners: the National Research Council of Canada, NLR in the Netherlands, NASA in the United States and JAXA of Japan. The project was initiated by IFAR through its collaborative research activity.

The scientific program aims to deepen the understanding of atmospheric electrical phenomena, particularly the mechanisms of electrical charging and the formation of storm clouds. Two research aircraft equipped with next-generation onboard sensors will characterize the electrical and microphysical properties of clouds with unprecedented precision. Test flights are scheduled in Europe in 2026-27 using NLR’s Cessna Citation II, and in North America in 2027-29 using a Convair-580 from NRC.

The collected data will undergo a process of post-processing and in-depth analysis to create a reference atmospheric database. This information will contribute to improving fundamental knowledge about cloud electrification and lightning initiation and will help to enhance atmospheric simulation models used for aviation safety, trajectory optimization and flight planning. This project also aims to better understand adverse weather conditions and improve flight safety.

“Storm clouds—particularly the electric charges they generate, which are the source of lightning activity—can pose significant risks to aviation,” said Bruno Sainjon, ONERA Chairman & CEO and Chair of IFAR. “IFAR identified this area as needing further data and analysis, and through our network and our collaborative research activities were able to convene five of the world’s leading aerospace research organizations to launch this ambitious scientific study”.

The partners exchanged signed copies of the agreement at the Paris Airshow on Tuesday 17th June 2025, marking the official launch of the IFAR research project.

ENDS

About IFAR: IFAR (International Forum for Aviation Research) is a global network of aeronautical research institutes that collaborates to promote innovation and technological progress in the field of aviation.

Credit of the picture: DLR/Leon Jakobs