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Aircraft, propulsion and thermal power have been at the heart of Cranfield’s research, innovation and education since the foundation of the College of Aeronautics in 1946. Today, that heritage continues through the Centre for Aeronautics, Propulsion and Power (CAPP), bringing together internationally recognised expertise in aircraft design, aerodynamics, flight dynamics, propulsion systems and sustainable power technologies.

The Centre is one of the largest and most comprehensive aerospace research and education activities of its kind, combining advanced postgraduate education, world-leading research, industrial collaboration, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and unique large-scale experimental facilities. By integrating airframe and propulsion disciplines within a single Centre, we provide the expertise required to develop the next generation of sustainable, efficient and intelligent aerospace systems.

The Centre's expertise also extends beyond aerospace propulsion to encompass advanced power and energy systems. Building on decades of research in thermal power engineering, we develop technologies that improve the efficiency, reliability and sustainability of power generation across a range of applications, from conventional gas turbines to future low-carbon energy systems. Our research in power addresses the challenges of the global energy transition through innovations in energy conversion, hydrogen and alternative fuels, low-emission combustion, carbon reduction technologies, hybrid energy systems and integrated thermal management.

By combining expertise in aeronautics, propulsion and thermal power, the Centre delivers multidisciplinary solutions that support both the future of sustainable aviation and the wider decarbonisation of energy and transport.

Centre of Excellence in Integrated Aerospace and Power Systems

The Centre for Aeronautics, Propulsion and Power brings together more than 120 academic, research and technical staff, supported by a vibrant community of more than 250 postgraduate and doctoral researchers. Our activities span the complete aerospace engineering lifecycle—from conceptual aircraft design and multidisciplinary optimisation through propulsion integration, testing, certification and operational performance.

Our research addresses the major technological challenges facing the aviation, aerospace and power industries, including future aircraft architectures, sustainable propulsion, hydrogen-powered flight, hybrid-electric aircraft, advanced gas turbines, thermal management, digital engineering and autonomous systems.

The Centre is characterised by the close integration of education, research and industrial collaboration. Every year we educate hundreds of MSc students from around the world, supervise a large doctoral research community and deliver an extensive portfolio of specialist professional development courses. Students and researchers benefit from direct engagement with leading aerospace companies through collaborative projects, industrial placements and sponsored research.

Expertise and facilities

Our researchers are supported by one of Europe's most comprehensive collections of aerospace laboratories and experimental facilities. Together, these facilities enable research from fundamental science through technology demonstration and industrial validation.

Postgraduate education

The Centre delivers internationally recognised postgraduate education across aeronautics, propulsion and aerospace engineering. Our MSc programmes combine academic excellence with industrial relevance, enabling graduates to develop the knowledge and practical skills demanded by the global aerospace sector.

Students undertake individual and group projects in collaboration with industry, supported by academic supervisors and leading industrial partners. Several student projects are carried out under the aegis of the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centrehosted by the Centre, but others take place with other organisations and research collaborations. Access to world-class laboratories, flight research facilities and advanced computational tools ensures that graduates gain practical experience alongside rigorous engineering education.

Our graduates are highly sought after by aerospace manufacturers, airlines, engine companies, research organisations and government agencies worldwide.

There are various scholarship and bursary schemes, offered by the Centre, to help student enrol in the course. Find out more about available scholarships and bursaries.

Doctoral research

The Centre has a very large doctoral community, with typically more than 70 doctoral candidates currently registered. There are substantial collaborative programmes with leading EU universities and national research establishments, industry and government. This provides a scale of activity to ensure a long-term commitment to emerging technology trends and innovation. The Centre’s in-house performance simulation tools, developed over decades, and optimisation methodologies for the whole operating envelope, life and environmental impact have formed the basis of much of the research. During the last decade or more, there has been a considerable focus on novel airframes and novel propulsion and power systems, often in the context of enhanced environmental performance and climate change. A significant part of the Centre's research focuses on developing more advanced and comprehensive simulation models, often linked within multi-disciplinary, highly-integrated simulation frameworks. These now increasingly address techno-economic, environment and risk assessment (TERA) issues. These models have been widened to cover a range of circumstances (from power generation to aerospace, including urban mobility), and the detail involved within the models has been progressively increased to include several aspects of the operational envelope of the ‘super-system’ and its sub-systems. In an uncertain and changing world, the increasing competence and emphasis on TERA simulations provides a useful ‘agility in scoping studies’. It is very pleasing to note that several studies are being performed with ‘customised’ TERA tools, to assess the environmental impact of current and future technologies. Other studies seek to extend the models to include the influence of various regulatory policies, or the economic impact of new technology step-changes on the manufacturer and operator.

Short courses

The Centre runs an extensive short course programme that has offerings for the whole power plant, the components and specific aspects of some applications. We offer an extensive portfolio of gas turbine continuing professional development. In addition to the range of open courses offered here at Cranfield, we can also develop bespoke courses tailored to specific needs and even deliver courses online. Our analytical and testing abilities cover research areas including:

  • Gas turbine design, testing, diagnostics, monitoring and performance;
  • Component design and assessment;
  • Component lifing;
  • Engine and turbomachinery aerodynamics;
  • Techno-environmental and economic risk analysis (TERA);
  • Multi-disciplinary design optimisation;
  • Experimental and computational methods;
  • Powerplant integration.

A collaboration has been established with the ISABE (International Society for Airbreathing Engines) to run courses alongside the ISABE biannual conference.

For more information on available courses see below.