NASA and Boeing have successfully tested a scale model of their blended wing body aircraft design, one that they hope will fly more with less fuel onboard.
The 8.5% scale model weighs 500 pounds but shows how the actual plane will work. The model is efficient enough to reach 10,000 feet and 120 knots and is like a milestone in the continuing research program that hopes to conclude once the actual blended-wing-body-design aircraft is developed.
Unlike a conventional aircraft in which the lift is provided by the wings, the body of a BWB acts as a wing providing more lift with the same amount of fuel. Still a more efficient technology is flying wings, like the B2 bomber, but such a design has far less space to store cargo and is unstable due to a lack of any stabilizing structures.
Boeing and NASA hope to develop a full scale model of the aircraft between 2015 and 2020. When this revolutionary aircraft hits the skies, it will completely change the aviation industry making it more fuel-efficient, silent and spacious.
Via: Eco Geek
