Vivace is a European Union Sixth Framework (FP6) research programme. The objectives were a 5% overall reduction in the investment to bring a new aircraft to market a 5% decrease in its final development phase costs and a 30% reduction in the lead time.
Halving the investment to develop a new turbine engine was also a goal. Vivace had three main sub-projects: virtual aircraft, virtual engine and advanced capabilities, led by Airbus France, Rolls-Royce and Corporate Research Centre-France, respectively. Each in turn had work packages spread among the project's participants. The project also had seven key areas: design simulation, virtual testing, design optimisation, business and supply chain modelling, knowledge management, decision support and collaboration in the extended and virtual enterprise.
Vivace was the third largest integrated project under FP6 and was preceded by eight related projects worth a total of �85 million ($122.6 million) spent over 10 years. Vivace's members are working on developing follow-on projects, with the EU's �40 million Maaximus (more affordable aircraft structure through extended integrated and mature numerical sizing) Seventh Framework programme seen as a successor.
Source: Flight International
