US Air Force Backs ‘Blended-Wing’ Plane Concept That Cuts Fuel Use In Half
The United States Air Force has recently thrown its support behind JetZero’s innovative aircraft design aimed at reducing fuel consumption, emissions, and noise while enhancing the passenger experience.
As air traffic is projected to grow at a rate of 3.6% per year, the challenge of decarbonizing the aviation industry becomes even more critical.
Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, predicts that the global airline fleet will nearly double to 47,700 aircraft by 2041. As such, an eco-friendly aircraft could play a pivotal role in curbing the industry’s significant carbon footprint.
During the upcoming demonstrator, which is the first of a planned series of BWB aircraft, experts will first utilize existing engines and systems.
The jet will feature a special “blended wing” body design, which has been studied by NASA and other organizations for the past three decades. This component could become adaptable for conversion to hydrogen propulsion, setting it up for a future of zero carbon emissions.
To accelerate the project, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) of the Department of Defense (DoD) has granted JetZero an award of $235 million over a four-year span, with the first flight of the full-scale demonstrator planned for the first quarter of 2027.
Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engines have been selected to power the demonstrator, with additional support from the company’s GATORWORKS for the design and integration of the propulsion system within the aircraft.
“The BWB is the best first step on the path to zero carbon emissions. It offers 50% lower fuel burn using today’s engines and the airframe efficiency needed to support a transition to zero carbon emissions propulsion in the future,” said JetZero CEO Tom O’Lear.
“No other proposed aircraft comes close in terms of efficiency.”
[via Robb Report and Popular Science, images via JetZero]
This article was crafted with assistance from an AI engine, and has been manually reviewed & edited.
