Great pics at the link
Posted on 01/16/2011 2:51:55 AM PST by Cardhu
They are the sort of striking images that wouldn't look out of place in a scene from a sci-fi movie. However, one of these could soon be the face of modern aviation with the unveiling of a new generation of passenger aircraft.
NASA has revealed three concept designs for quiet, energy efficient aircraft that potentially could be ready for flight as soon as 2025.
Three companies - Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and The Boeing Company - came up with the designs and, at the end of last year, all three won a contract from NASA to research, develop and test their concepts in 2011, meaning these futuristic ideas could have the potential to take flight.
The designs came about after NASA revealed it was aiming to develop a line of 'super planes'
Criteria set by NASA meant that each design had to fly up to 85 per cent of the speed of sound, cover a range of about 7,000 miles and carry between 50,000 and 100,000 of payload; either cargo or passengers.
Now, each of the three companies will spend the rest of this year exploring, testing and simulating their designs in the hope that NASA will choose it for development.
How likely it is for these designs to get off the ground is under debate. A spokesman from technology and innovation website Fast Company told the Huffington Post: 'Given how long it usually takes to craft an aircraft from scratch, and bearing in mind how many technical hitches the revolutionary Boeing 787 Dreamliner has suffered, these are the sorts of aircraft that these three firms are probably beginning to design for real right about now.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Great pics at the link
Picture only shows one propolsion device. Therefore no redundancy. Unless it is a “V” tail and the other propulsion device (ducted fan?) is obscured.
Where are the passengers’ windows?
Regards,
Although ETOPS has been a relatively recent regulatory move towards fewer engines when crossing oceans. Maybe if 121.159 gets repealed, there could be 'ESOPS' rules for these things when flying.
As for those other planes, I don't think folks are going to want to fly without windows. If they do have seats near where the windows would be on those things, the passengers would be so far from the longitudinal axis that turns would become uncomfortable. Still, here's hoping for new and exciting things in aviation....
Those blended wing “span loader” designs will mostly be used as cargo. Can you imagine being seated halfway out out the span and the plane banking 30 degrees? vertigo baby!
You could tweak the software such that the bank angle is at one g. With out a window, you wouldn’t know you were banking. Give me wireless internet and half fares and I wouldn’t care.
It’s just that as the bank initiates, if you’re 60 feet out on that wing you’re going up 30 feet and the guy on the other side is going down 30 feet. then if they have to initiate a left right left to get into a pattern, woohoo!
You’ll have some wierd things going on in your inner ear that I don’t think software will compensate for.
But, who knows. I always liked the look of a spanloader.
If you look closely, that engine is outboard on the port side, so the starboard side engine must be obscured.
Thx!
You can fly single engine under as an airline but are prohibited from flying it under IFR.
I bought my Saratoga from Mesa Air because they found out that it wasn't practicle not to be able to fly in bad weather.
It had operated between Denver, Albuquerque, and Phoenix.
Maybe the floor is the new glass reported on earlier this week that is stronger than steel! The new attraction at the Grand Canyon would lose some of its allure.
I’ve been convinced for a while that anything NASA announces is already outmoded when they do the announcing.
Google TR3-B
“I’ve been convinced for a while that anything NASA announces is already outmoded when they do the announcing.”
NASA is there to keep your attention away from what’s really going on. :)
Looks like a Bandaid commercial.
Afrer you go through the scanners you will be shrink wrapped, dehydrated and packed on pallets. Each plane will be able to carry 4,000 pasengers. You will be thrown in to a water tank at journey’s end and rehydrated.
Of course there will be an extra charge for that on top of the 600% handling charge. The shipping cost will be a lottery starting and $2,000 guaranteed not to rise higher than $4,000. This guaranteed may change anytime without notice.
Luggage - You buy new plastic government designed coveralls at your destination.
Believe me you will not miss the windows.
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