Blended-wing aircraft pushes aviation towards net zero goals
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In the history of aviation design, the landscape remained unchanged for a century, characterized by conventional tube-and-wing aircraft. Yet, amidst this conformity, ‘flying wings’ like the Northrop YB-49 and Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit emerged, captivating enthusiasts with their sleek, futuristic profiles.
Simultaneously, military innovations such as the B-1 Lancer and Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, boasting blended-wing-body configurations, defied sonic limits and garnered admiration for their groundbreaking designs in aviation history.
Renewed blended-wing-body (BWB) concepts, overcoming past control and stability challenges, offer enhanced efficiency for defence, cargo, and commercial passenger use, including specialized business jets.
With their sleek shape and minimizing drag, BWB designs boost fuel efficiency and decrease carbon emissions, aligning closely with aircraft manufacturers’ commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
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Bombardier’s senior VP of engineering and product development, Stephen McCullough, says, “Our original idea was to create a more sustainable aircraft without compromising what our customers expect in a business jet.”
“The blended-wing-body ticks the majority of those boxes,” he says, potentially reducing emissions by 20%. One challenge with the form is maintaining the plane’s airport-friendly footprint.
However, McCullough focuses on the positive, noting that the aircraft’s taller, wider cabin “opens up a lot of exciting opportunities” for Bombardier’s interior designers.
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Airbus has dedicated extensive time to developing its twin-engine BWB model, Maveric. However, significant advancements occurred when the manufacturer integrated the aircraft into its hydrogen-powered ZEROe concepts program.
The BWB’s larger inherent capacity renders it more suitable for hydrogen transportation compared to conventional designs.
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