Supersonic passenger aircraft of the future. Technologies of the future in passenger aircraft. Supersonic transport: dream or reality
Boston-based Spike Aerospace has been working on a supersonic business jet for several years. The company recently announced that it will soon conduct flight tests of the new S-512 Quiet Supersonic Jet. The experiment to prove the performance of the SX-1.2 concept will primarily focus on testing the stability and controllability of the aircraft. If everything goes well, then in the future Spike Aerospace promised to conduct a number of more dynamic and spectacular flights: the aircraft, capable of carrying up to 22 passengers, accelerates to a speed of Mach 1.6 (approximately 1900 km/h).
Supersonic transport: dream or reality?
According to company president Vik Kachoria, the test drone with a rigid wing will fly out of “a place in New England,” exact coordinates which has not yet been disclosed. Spike Aerospace has made no secret of its interest in improving supersonic aircraft technology, but now the firm has finally announced its planned development timeline. A second, larger demonstrator aircraft has already been built, while a third is still in the design stage. Flight testing is scheduled for mid-2018, and the S-512 itself will be tested in 2021, provided that all demonstration and test flights go well and the aircraft is reliable. The first flight of a full-size transport with real passengers on board is planned for 2023.
The S-512 is a mystery aircraft, around which many incredible rumors are swarming, which have not yet been refuted or confirmed by official representatives of the company. In theory, this model will be able to fly over land at supersonic speeds, which is currently prohibited by the FAA due to noise pollution. NASA designers are working on an experimental supersonic engine that operates with much less noise and prevents the impact of sound waves on the aircraft, which makes being in it quite comfortable. But the space agency hopes to conduct the first tests by 2020 at best, and Spike Aerospace already says the S-512 engine will generate 75 dBA at ground level - meaning from the ground it will be no louder than a normal hand clap. However, engineers are in no hurry to reveal details and how exactly they plan to reduce noise levels.
Instead of portholes there are huge screens broadcasting the surrounding landscapes in real time
The maximum flight range of the S-512 is 10,000 km, and the flight promises to be very comfortable. Of course, supersonic aircraft do not have windows, but Multiplex Digital Cabin technology allows you to replace them with screens that can broadcast a real view outside the aircraft in HD quality, and if desired, they can be used as a regular plasma panel.
The future of supersonic aircraft
Currently, Spike Aerospace is far from the only company developing supersonic passenger aircraft. For example, Denver-based Boom Supersonic, backed by Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic, is currently building a 1:3 scale demonstration model of a 50-passenger passenger jet capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 2.2. The model, called XB-1, will be equipped with a two-seat cabin, and its first test flight is scheduled for 2018. Another company, Aeron Corporation, has teamed up with Airbus to create another supersonic prototype. vehicle, which will be tested in 2020.
Spike Aerospace itself has also received support from a number of manufacturers and aerospace centers around the world: Quartus Engineering in the USA, Siemens in Germany and Aernnova in Spain, to name a few. Thanks to this, unlike competitors, the British are ready to provide customers with a fully operational aircraft and establish flights by the mid-2020s. But these are only optimistic promises, and we just have to be patient and wait for practical tests.
“Turn on supersonic!”
Supersonic passenger aircraft - what do we know about them? At least that they were created relatively long ago. But, for various reasons, they were not used for as long and not as often as they could have. And today, they exist only as design models.
Why is that? What is the peculiarity and “secret” of supersonic sound? Who created this technology? And also - what will the future be like? supersonic aircraft in the world, and of course - in Russia? We will try to answer all these questions.
"Farewell flight"
So, fifteen years have passed since the last three functioning supersonic passenger aircraft made their last flights, after which they were written off. This was back in 2003. Then, on October 24, they all together “said goodbye to the sky.” The last time we flew by low altitude, over the capital of Great Britain.
Then we landed at London Heathrow Airport. These were Concorde type aircraft belonging to aviation company British Airways. And with such a “farewell flight” they ended a very short story passenger transportation, at speeds exceeding sound...
One could have thought so a few years ago. But now it is already possible to say with confidence. This is the finale of only the first stage of this story. And probably all its bright pages are yet to come.
Today - preparation, tomorrow - flight
Today, many companies and aircraft designers are thinking about the prospects of supersonic passenger aviation. Some are making plans for its revival. Others are already preparing for this with all their might.
After all, if it could exist and function effectively just a few decades ago, today, with technologies that have seriously stepped forward, it is quite possible not only to revive it, but also to solve a number of problems that forced leading airlines to abandon it.
And the prospects are too tempting. The possibility of flying, say, from London to Tokyo in five hours seems very interesting. Cross the distance from Sydney to Los Angeles in six hours? And get from Paris to New York in three and a half? With passenger aircraft, which are capable of flying at higher speeds than sound travels, this is not at all difficult.
But, of course, before the triumphant “return” of such air space, - scientists, engineers, designers, and many others - still have a lot of work to do. It is necessary not only to restore what once was by offering new model. Not at all.
The goal is to solve many problems associated with passenger supersonic aviation. Creation of aircraft that will not only demonstrate the capabilities and power of the countries that built them. But they will also turn out to be really effective. So much so that they occupy a worthy niche in aviation.
History of "supersonic" Part 1. What happened in the beginning...
Where did it all begin? In fact - from simple passenger aviation. And he has been like this for more than a century. Its design began in the 1910s in Europe. When craftsmen from the most developed countries of the world created the first aircraft, the main purpose of which was to transport passengers over various distances. That is, a flight with many people on board.
The first among them is the French Bleriot XXIV Limousine. It belonged to the aircraft manufacturing company Bleriot Aeronautique. However, it was used mainly for the amusement of those who paid for pleasure “walks”-flights on it. Two years after its creation, an analogue appears in Russia.
It was the S-21 Grand. It was designed on the basis of the Russian Knight, a heavy bomber created by Igor Sikorsky. And the construction of this passenger aircraft was carried out by workers of the Baltic Carriage Plant.
Well, after that, progress could no longer be stopped. Aviation developed rapidly. And the passenger one, in particular. At first there were flights between specific cities. Then the planes were able to cover distances between states. Finally, aircraft began to cross oceans and fly from one continent to another.
Evolving technologies and everything large quantity innovations allowed aviation to travel very quickly. Much sooner than trains or ships. And for her there were practically no barriers. There was no need to change from one transport to another, not only, say, when traveling to some particularly distant “end of the world”.
Even when it is necessary to cross land and water at once. Nothing stopped the planes. And this is natural, because they fly over everything - continents, oceans, countries...
But time was passing quickly, the world was changing. Of course, the aviation industry also developed. Airplanes over the next few decades, right up to the 1950s, changed so much when compared with those that flew back in the early 1920s and 30s that they became something completely different, special.
And so, in the middle of the twentieth century, the development of the jet engine began at a very rapid pace, even in comparison with the previous twenty to thirty years.
A small informational digression. Or - a little physics
Advanced developments have allowed aircraft to “accelerate” to speeds greater than the speed at which sound travels. Of course, first of all, this was applied in military aviation. After all, we are talking about the twentieth century. Which, sad to say, was a century of conflicts, two world wars, the “cold” struggle between the USSR and the USA...
And almost every new technology, created by the leading states of the world, was primarily considered from the point of view of how it could be used in defense or attack.
So, airplanes could now fly at unprecedented speeds. Faster than sound. What is its specificity?
First of all, it is obvious that this is a speed that exceeds the speed at which sound travels. But, remembering the basic laws of physics, we can say that in different conditions, it may differ. And “exceeds” is a very loose concept.
And that’s why there is a special standard. Supersonic speed is one that exceeds sound speed up to five times, taking into account the fact that depending on temperature and other environmental factors, it can change.
For example - if we take normal Atmosphere pressure, at sea level, then in this case, the speed of sound will be equal to an impressive figure - 1191 km/h. That is, 331 meters are covered in a second.
But what is especially important when designing supersonic aircraft is that as you gain altitude, the temperature decreases. This means the speed with which sound travels is quite significant.
So let's say, if you rise to a height of 20 thousand meters, then here it will already be 295 meters per second. But there is another important point.
At 25 thousand meters above sea level, the temperature begins to rise, since this is no longer the lower layer of the atmosphere. And so it goes on. Or rather, higher. Let's say at an altitude of 50,000 meters it will be even hotter. Consequently, the speed of sound there increases even more.
I wonder - for how long? Having risen 30 kilometers above sea level, you find yourself in a “zone” where sound travels at a speed of 318 meters per second. And at 50,000 meters, respectively - 330 m/s.
About the Mach number
By the way, it is interesting that to simplify the understanding of the features of flight and work in such conditions, the Mach number is used in aviation. general description such, can be reduced to the following conclusions. It expresses the speed of sound that occurs under given conditions, at a particular altitude, at a given temperature and air density.
For example, the flight speed, which is equal to two Mach numbers, at an altitude of ten kilometers above the ground, under normal conditions, will be equal to 2,157 km/h. And at sea level - 2,383 km/h.
History of "supersonic" Part 2. Overcoming barriers
By the way, for the first time a pilot from the USA, Chuck Yeager, achieved flight speeds of more than Mach 1. This happened in 1947. Then he “accelerated” his plane, flying at an altitude of 12.2 thousand meters above the ground, to a speed of 1066 km/h. This is how the first one went supersonic flight not the ground.
Already in the 1950s, work began on the design and preparation for serial production of passenger aircraft capable of flying at speeds - faster than sound. They are led by scientists and aircraft designers from the most powerful countries in the world. And they manage to succeed.
That same Concorde, a model that will finally be abandoned in 2003, was created in 1969. This is a joint British-French development. The symbolically chosen name is “Concorde”, from French, translated as “concord”.
It was one of two existing types of supersonic passenger aircraft. Well, the creation of the second (or rather, chronologically, the first) is the merit of the aircraft designers of the USSR. The Soviet equivalent of the Concorde is called the Tu-144. It was designed in the 1960s and made its first flight on December 31, 1968, a year before the British-French model.
To this day, no other types of supersonic passenger aircraft have been implemented. Both the Concorde and the Tu-144 flew thanks to turbojet engines, which were specially rebuilt in order to operate at supersonic speed for a long time.
The Soviet analogue of the Concorde was operated for a significantly shorter period. Already in 1977 it was abandoned. The plane flew at an average speed of 2,300 kilometers per hour and could carry up to 140 passengers at a time. But at the same time, the price of a ticket for such a “supersonic” flight was two, two and a half, or even three times more than for an ordinary one.
Of course, Soviet citizens did not use such in great demand. And maintaining the Tu-144 was not easy and expensive. That’s why they were abandoned so quickly in the USSR.
Concordes lasted longer, although tickets for the flights they flew were also expensive. And the demand was not great either. But still, despite this, they continued to be exploited, both in Great Britain and in France.
If you recalculate the cost of a Concorde ticket in the 1970s at today's exchange rate, it will be about two tens of thousands of dollars. For a one way ticket. One can understand why the demand for them was somewhat less than for flights using aircraft that do not reach supersonic speeds.
Concorde could take on board from 92 to 120 passengers at a time. He flew at a speed of more than 2 thousand km/h and covered the distance from Paris to New York in three and a half hours.
Several decades passed like this. Until 2003.
One of the reasons for the refusal to operate this model was a plane crash that occurred in 2000. At that time, there were 113 people on board the crashed Concorde. They all died.
Later, an international crisis began in the field of passenger air transportation. Its cause is the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, in the United States.
Moreover, on top of that, the warranty period for the Concorde is ending. Airbus airline. All this together made the further operation of supersonic passenger aircraft extremely unprofitable. And in 2003, all Concordes were written off one by one, both in France and in the UK.
Hopes
After this, there were still hopes for a quick “return” of supersonic passenger aircraft. Aircraft designers talked about creating special engines that would save fuel, despite the flight speed. We talked about improving the quality and optimizing the main avionics systems on such aircraft.
But, in 2006 and 2008, new resolutions of the International Organization were issued civil aviation. They defined the latter (they are valid, by the way, also on this moment) standards for permissible aircraft noise during flight.
And supersonic planes, as you know, did not have the right to fly over populated areas, that’s why. After all, they produced strong noise pops (also due to the physical characteristics of the flight) when they moved at maximum speeds.
This was the reason that the “planning” of the “revival” of supersonic passenger aviation was somewhat slowed down. However, in fact, after the introduction of this requirement, aircraft designers began to think about how to solve this problem. After all, it also took place before, it’s just that the “ban” focused attention on it - the “noise problem”.
What about today?
But ten years have passed since the last “ban”. And planning smoothly turned into design. Today, several companies and government organizations are engaged in the creation of passenger supersonic aircraft.
Which ones exactly? Russian: Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (the same one that is named after Zhukovsky), Tupolev and Sukhoi companies. Russian aircraft designers have an invaluable advantage.
The experience of Soviet designers and creators of the Tu-144. However, it is better to talk about domestic developments in this area separately and in more detail, which is what we propose to do next.
But it’s not just the Russians who are creating a new generation of supersonic passenger aircraft. This is also a European concern - Airbus, and the French company Dassault. Among the companies in the United States of America that are working in this direction are Boeing and, of course, Lockheed Martin. In the land of the rising sun, the main organization designing such an aircraft is the Aerospace Research Agency.
And this list is by no means complete. It is important to clarify that the overwhelming majority of professional aircraft designers working in this field are divided into two groups. Regardless of country of origin.
Some believe that it is in no way possible to create a “quiet” supersonic passenger aircraft at the current level of technological development of mankind.
Therefore, the only way out is to design a “simply fast” airliner. He, in turn, will switch to supersonic speed in places where it is permitted. And when flying, for example, over populated areas, return to subsonic.
Such “jumps,” according to this group of scientists and designers, will reduce flight time to the minimum possible, and not violate the requirements for noise effects.
Others, on the contrary, are full of determination. They believe that it is possible to fight the cause of the noise now. And they made a lot of efforts to prove that a supersonic airliner that flies quietly is quite possible to build in the very coming years.
And a little more fun physics
So, when flying at a speed of more than Mach 1.2, the airframe of the aircraft generates shock waves. They are strongest in the tail and nose areas, as well as some other parts of the aircraft, such as the edges of the air intakes.
What is a shock wave? This is an area where air density, pressure and temperature experience sudden changes. They occur when moving at high speeds, faster than sound speed.
To people who are standing on the ground, despite the distance, it seems that some kind of explosion is happening. Of course, we are talking about those who are in relative proximity - under the place where the plane flies. That is why flights were banned supersonic aviation over cities.
It is precisely such shock waves that representatives of the “second camp” of scientists and designers are fighting against, who believe in the possibility of leveling out this noise.
If we go into detail, the reason for this is literally a “collision” with air at a very high speed. At the wave front there is a sharp and strong increase in pressure. At the same time, immediately after it, there is a drop in pressure, and then a transition to a normal pressure indicator (the same as it was before the “collision”).
However, a classification of wave types has already been carried out and potentially optimal solutions have been found. All that remains is to complete the work in this direction and make the necessary adjustments to the aircraft designs, or create them from scratch, taking into account these amendments.
In particular, NASA specialists came to realize the need for structural changes in order to reform the characteristics of the flight as a whole.
Namely, changing the specifics of shock waves, as far as possible at the current technological level. What is achieved by restructuring the wave, through specific design changes. As a result, the standard wave is considered as an N-type, and the one that occurs during flight, taking into account the innovations proposed by experts, as an S-type.
And with the latter, the “explosive” effect of pressure changes is significantly reduced, and people located below, for example, in a city, if an airplane flies over them, even when they hear such an effect, it is only like a “distant slam of a car door.”
Shape is also important
In addition, for example, Japanese aviation designers, not so long ago, in mid-2015, created an unmanned glider model D-SEND 2. Its shape is designed in a special way, allowing to significantly reduce the intensity and number of shock waves that occur when the device flies at supersonic speed.
The effectiveness of the innovations proposed in this way by Japanese scientists was proven during tests of D-SEND 2. These were carried out in Sweden in July 2015. The course of the event was quite interesting.
The glider, which was not equipped with engines, was raised to a height of 30.5 kilometers. By using hot air balloon. Then he was thrown down. During the fall, he “accelerated” to a speed of Mach 1.39. The length of D-SEND 2 itself is 7.9 meters.
After the tests, Japanese aircraft designers were able to confidently declare that the intensity of the shock waves when their brainchild flies at a speed exceeding the speed of sound propagation is two times less than that of the Concorde.
What are the features of D-SEND 2? First of all - his bow not axisymmetric. The keel is shifted towards it, and at the same time, horizontal tail unit installed as all-moving. It is also located at a negative angle to the longitudinal axis. And at the same time, the tail tips are located lower than the attachment point.
The wing, smoothly connected to the fuselage, is made with normal sweep, but stepped.
According to approximately the same scheme, now, as of November 2018, the supersonic passenger AS2 is being designed. Professionals from Lockheed Martin are working on it. The customer is NASA.
Also, the Russian SDS/SPS project is now at the stage of improving its form. It is planned that it will be created with an emphasis on reducing the intensity of shock waves.
Certification and... another certification
It is important to understand that some projects of passenger supersonic aircraft will be implemented in the early 2020s. At the same time, the rules established by the International Civil Aviation Organization in 2006 and 2008 will still be in force.
This means that if before that time there is no serious technological breakthrough in the field of “quiet supersonic”, then it is likely that aircraft will be created that will reach speeds above one Mach only in zones where this is permitted.
And after that, when the necessary technologies do appear, in such a scenario, many new tests will have to be carried out. In order for aircraft to obtain permission to fly over populated areas. But these are only speculations about the future; today it is very difficult to say anything for sure on this matter.
Question of price
Another problem mentioned earlier is the high cost. Of course, today, many engines have already been created that are much more economical than those that were used twenty or thirty years ago.
In particular, those that can provide aircraft movement at supersonic speed are now being designed, but at the same time do not “eat up” as much fuel as the Tu-144 or Concorde.
How? First of all, this is the use of ceramic composite materials, which reduce temperatures, and this is especially important in hot zones of power plants.
In addition, the introduction of another, third, air circuit - in addition to the external and internal ones. Leveling the rigid coupling of a turbine with a fan, inside an aircraft engine, etc.
But nevertheless, even thanks to all these innovations, it cannot be said that supersonic flight, in today's realities, is economical. Therefore, in order for it to become accessible and attractive to the general public, work to improve engines is extremely important.
Perhaps the current solution would be a complete redesign of the design, experts say.
By the way, it will also not be possible to reduce the cost by increasing the number of passengers per flight. Because those aircraft that are being designed today (meaning, of course, supersonic aircraft) are designed to transport a small number of people - from eight to forty-five.
A new engine is a solution to the problem
Among the latest innovations in this area, it is worth noting the innovative jet turbofan power plant created this year, 2018, by GE Aviation. In October it was introduced under the name Affinity.
This engine is planned to be installed on the mentioned AS2 passenger model. There are no significant technological “new products” in this type of power plants. But at the same time, it combines the features of jet engines with high and low bypass ratios. Which makes the model very interesting for installation on a supersonic aircraft.
Among other things, the creators of the engine claim that during testing it will prove its ergonomics. The fuel consumption of the power plant will be approximately equal to that which can be recorded for standard airliner engines currently in operation.
That is, this is a statement that power point supersonic aircraft will consume approximately the same amount of fuel as a conventional airliner, unable to accelerate to speeds above Mach one.
How this will happen is still difficult to explain. Since the design features of the engine are not currently being disclosed by its creators.
What could they be - Russian supersonic airliners?
Of course, today there are many specific projects for supersonic passenger aircraft. However, not all are close to implementation. Let's look at the most promising ones.
So, Russian aircraft manufacturers who inherited the experience of Soviet masters deserve special attention. As mentioned earlier, today, within the walls of TsAGI named after Zhukovsky, according to its employees, the creation of the concept of a new generation supersonic passenger aircraft has almost been completed.
IN official description model provided by the press service of the institute, it is mentioned that this is a “light, administrative” aircraft, “with low level sonic boom." The design is carried out by specialists, employees of this institution.
Also, in a message from the TsAGI press service it is mentioned that thanks to the special layout of the aircraft body and the special nozzle on which the noise suppression system is installed, this model will demonstrate the latest achievements in the technological development of the Russian aircraft industry.
By the way, it is important to mention that among the most promising TsAGI projects, in addition to what has been described, is a new configuration of passenger airliners called the “flying wing”. It implements several particularly relevant improvements. Specifically, it makes it possible to improve aerodynamics, reduce fuel consumption, etc. But for non-supersonic aircraft.
Among other things, this institute has repeatedly presented finished projects that have attracted the attention of aviation enthusiasts from all over the world. Let’s say, one of the latest, a model of a supersonic business jet, capable of traveling up to 7,000 kilometers without refueling, and reaching a speed of 1.8 thousand km/h. This was presented at the exhibition “Gidroaviasalon-2018”.
“...design is going on all over the world!”
In addition to the Russian ones mentioned above, the following models are also the most promising. American AS2 (capable of speeds up to Mach 1.5). Spanish S-512 (speed limit - Mach 1.6). And also, currently at the design stage in the USA, Boom, from Boom Technologies (well, it will be able to fly at a maximum speed of Mach 2.2).
There is also the X-59, which is being created for NASA by Lockheed Martin. But it will be a flying scientific laboratory, not a passenger plane. And no one has planned to put it into mass production yet.
The plans of Boom Technologies are interesting. Employees of this company say that they will try to reduce the cost of flights on the supersonic airliners created by the company as much as possible. For example, they can give an approximate price for a flight from London to New York. This is about 5000 US dollars.
For comparison, this is how much a ticket costs for a flight from the English capital to “New” York, on a regular or “subsonic” plane, in business class. That is, the price of a flight on an airliner capable of flying at a speed of more than Mach 1.2 will be approximately equal to the cost expensive ticket on a plane that could not make the same fast flight.
However, Boom Technologies bet on creating a “quiet” supersonic passenger airliner will not work out in the near future. Therefore, their Boom will fly at the maximum speed it can develop only over water. And when you are above land, switch to a smaller one.
Given that the Boom will be 52 meters long, it will be able to carry up to 45 passengers at a time. According to the plans of the company designing the aircraft, the first flight of this new product should occur in 2025.
What is known today about another promising project - AS2? It will be able to carry significantly fewer people - only eight to twelve people per flight. In this case, the length of the liner will be 51.8 meters.
Over water, it is planned to be able to fly at a speed of Mach 1.4-1.6, and over land - 1.2. By the way, in the latter case, due to its special shape, the plane, in principle, will not generate shock waves. For the first time, this model should take to the air in the summer of 2023. In October of the same year, the aircraft will make its first flight across the Atlantic.
This event will be timed to coincide with a memorable date - the twentieth anniversary of the day the Concordes last flew over London.
Moreover, the Spanish S-512 will take to the skies for the first time no later than the end of 2021. And deliveries of this model to customers will begin in 2023. The maximum speed of this aircraft is Mach 1.6. It can accommodate 22 passengers on board. The maximum flight range is 11.5 thousand km.
The client is the head of everything!
As you can see, some companies are trying very hard to complete the design and begin creating aircraft as quickly as possible. For whom are they willing to rush in such a hurry? Let's try to explain.
So, during 2017, for example, the volume of air passenger traffic amounted to four billion people. Moreover, 650 million of them flew long distances, spending from 3.7 to thirteen hours on the way. Next - 72 million out of 650, moreover, they flew first or business class.
It is these 72,000,000 people, on average, that those companies that are engaged in the creation of supersonic passenger aircraft are counting on. The logic is simple - it is possible that many of them will not mind paying a little more for a ticket, provided that the flight will be approximately twice as fast.
But, even despite all the prospects, many experts reasonably believe that the active progress of supersonic aviation, created for the transport of passengers, may begin after 2025.
This opinion is confirmed by the fact that the mentioned “flying” laboratory X-59 will first take to the air only in 2021. Why?
Research and Outlook
The main purpose of its flights, which will take place over several years, will be to collect information. The fact is that this aircraft must fly over various populated areas at supersonic speed. Residents of these settlements have already expressed their consent to conduct tests.
And after the laboratory plane completes its next “experimental flight”, people living in those populated areas, over which it flew, must talk about the “impressions” that they received during the time when the airliner was above their heads. And especially clearly express how the noise was perceived. Did it affect their livelihoods, etc.
The data collected in this way will be transmitted to the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States. And after their detailed analysis by experts, perhaps the ban on supersonic airliner flights over populated land areas will be lifted. But in any case, this will not happen before 2025.
In the meantime, we can watch the creation of these innovative aircraft, which will soon mark the birth of a new era of supersonic passenger aviation with their flights!
For more than a year now (he flew out on March 9, 2015) he has been “finishing” trip around the world, one might think that the development of passenger aviation has stopped or is even in decline reverse side. Of course, Solar Impulse 2 is not the future of aviation, but modern aircraft are slower than supersonic ones Concords flying 30 years ago. New aircraft models generally differ from old ones only in greater fuel efficiency. Airbus is not even going to develop a new aircraft for the 2020s. However, everything is not so hopeless. Below are the most promising projects in aeronautics, demonstrating that the development of aviation still continues.
Electric airplanes
Airbus-E-FanAirbus is testing a small but all-electric aircraft, the Airbus-E-Fan. The latest achievement of the aircraft is the flight across the English Channel. So far, this model cannot be used for any long flights, even by one person.
But many aircraft manufacturers have no doubt that electric aviation is the future. To begin with, it is planned, as in cars, to make a hybrid engine. Airbus intends to test a “more electric aircraft” as part of the DISPURSAL project in 2022. The contribution of the electric fan motor to the total thrust should be 23%.
NASA in 2016 announced the start of development of the X-57 Maxwell aircraft equipped with 14 electric engines. It will be a small four-seater aircraft. According to engineers, the introduction of electric motors will significantly reduce operating costs. The agency does not say when the aircraft will be created.
German startup Lilium Aviation has received funding to create an electric private jet that can take off and land without an airport. The plane will need only 225 meters to take off and land. The company has already created a prototype and plans to introduce a full-size version at the end of 2018.
Supersonic aircraft
Aerion AS2
The Aerion AS2 is the first supersonic aircraft from Airbus in a very long time. This is a private jet designed for 12 passengers. $4 billion will be invested in its development, and release is planned for 2023.
In early March, NASA announced the development of an almost silent supersonic aircraft, QueSST. The main reason for banning supersonic passenger aircraft (besides fuel economy) was the excessive noise when going supersonic. NASA has developed methods to get rid of the noise and expects to build a prototype around 2020.
Aviation startup Boom, backed by Virgin Galactic, is working on a supersonic plane. The startup plans to use the new aircraft to fly over the Atlantic 2.5 times faster than conventional aircraft. The $2 billion investment should allow the company to build a prototype by the end of 2017.
According to its creators, the Skylon aircraft will be able to reach any point in 4 hours at a speed 5 times faster than the speed of sound. To create it, British engineers are testing new type engine. They announced the first tests for 2019. However, this project, despite an investment of 60 million euros from the British government, is the most long-term and difficult to implement of all
New passenger aircraft
The largest aircraft manufacturers believe that aeronautics is already a miracle and, although a new aircraft appears every 5-10 years, there is no need for any breakthrough improvements. More details in the table.Airplane table
| Boeing 737 MAX
|
The Boeing 737 MAX has already received 2,500 orders and could become the market leader. Its claimed superiority over the existing leader, the Airbus A320neo, is that it consumes 4% less fuel. The first deliveries to customers will begin in 2017. | ||||||||
| MS-21
|
The new Russian MS-21 aircraft will have a completely Russian engine. Putin stated that it would be in no way inferior to its foreign counterparts. Rogozin told reporters that mass production will begin in 2020. | ||||||||
| Mitsubishi Regional Jet
|
Japan will build the first modern passenger jet airliner in its history. It is small and does not pretend to be anything. Planned start of operation in 2018. | ||||||||
| Comac C919
|
But the first Chinese passenger airliner in a long time, Comac C919, is going to break the duopoly of Boeing and Airbus in the market. True, so far there are 500 orders for it, mainly from Chinese carriers. Release date: 2018. | ||||||||
| E2
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The Brazilian company Embraer is not even going to create a new airliner, but is simply modernizing the current model and calling it the second generation. New engines and better fuel economy are expected. Nevertheless, contracts have already been concluded for more than 300 deliveries of these aircraft. Deliveries to customers - since 2018. | ||||||||
| SSJ 100SV (Stretched Version)
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The extended Sukhoi Superjet will have up to 120 seats and will be released in 2019. In other characteristics, it will be almost like the current superjet and will probably be inferior to the Boing 737 MAX, and in 2020 the Boing 777X will also be released... in general, the main thing is that it will fly and will be extended, Aeroflot their will purchase. | ||||||||
| Bombardier Cseries
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The aircraft of the Canadian company Bombardier exceeded expectations. The manufacturer promises that the aircraft will consume 10% less fuel than the Boeing 737 MAX and MC-21. Commissioning is expected in 2016.
The champion in terms of minor improvements will be the new Boeing 777X, scheduled for release in 2020. It will have a 5% stronger engine, 12% lower fuel costs and CO2 emissions, 17 tons more payload and 18% more seats.
The Bombardier Global 8000 business jet for 8 passengers will be able to fly a record 14,600 kilometers without refueling at an average speed of 956 km/h. The company plans to begin sales in 2019 at a price of approximately $65 million. The aircraft will also compete with the Gulfstream G600 - new business jets also going on sale in 2018-2020. The planes will cost from $35 million to $55 million.
The new Cobalt Co50 Valkyrie private jet is cheaper than the competition ($600K) and the fastest in its class, but its main design innovation is that it looks exactly like Bruce Wayne's plane. It can carry up to 5 passengers at a time. Release date: mid-2017.
The SkiGull private amphibious aircraft will be able to land not only on water, but on any surface (grass, snow, ice). It made its first flight in November 2015 and will go on sale soon
Another seaplane, the two-seater Icon A5, is capable of taking off from and landing on water, can also recover from a spin, and is equipped with a parachute for the entire aircraft. It is recognized as so safe that you don’t even need a pilot’s license to be allowed to fly, just 20 hours of practice. It costs $250,000 and is already in production. The first 7 aircraft were assembled in 2016, but 1,850 orders have already been made for the aircraft.
The Cirrus Vision SF50 business jet may be the first mass-produced personal jet. It will be capable of carrying up to 7 passengers and should be significantly easier to fly than a conventional private jet. It will also have a parachute for the entire aircraft. 4 prototypes were built and the first aircraft was delivered to the customer in June 2016. In total, more than 600 of these machines have already been ordered at a price of $2 million.
The British single-seat e-Go is unique with its low price of just $70,000. Cheaper than many cars. The first buyer received the aircraft in June 2016.
At the other end of the price spectrum is the $3 million Epic E1000 six-seat private jet. The aircraft will be capable of flying at class-record speeds of up to 600 km/h over a distance of more than 3,000 kilometers and can climb to altitudes of up to 10 km. The prototype of the aircraft is currently undergoing testing, but more than 60 orders have already been placed for it. VTOLEver since the advent of the helicopter, people have wanted to create a vehicle that was as fast as an airplane, but could fly and land anywhere like a helicopter. This vehicle even received the working name VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) or simply a vertical takeoff aircraft. The persistent but unsuccessful attempts to create this device are captured in the infographic “wheel of misfortune”.
The VTOL must be “capable of everything a bird can do in the air” and fly at least 3 times faster than a conventional helicopter
Formally, the Italian company AgustaWestland came closest to creating a VTOL transport with the AW609 tiltrotor. It is indeed capable of landing vertically and flying further than conventional helicopters, but in speed (509 km/h) it is still significantly inferior to airplanes. So far, tiltrotors have been produced only for the needs of the American military. But the AW609 will be a civilian transport for businessmen and the oil industry. Certification is expected in 2017 and 70 orders have already been received.
DARPA has announced a competition to finally create a vertical take-off aircraft () and 4 large corporations (Boeing, Aurora Flight Sciences Corp, Sikorsky Aircraft Co and Karem Aircraft) will present their full-size prototypes for testing in February 2017.
Another attempt is an electric VTOL from the startup Joby Aviation. The company says it will cost $200,000 apiece, but doesn't give a release date.
An alternative to creating a VTOL is to simply increase the speed of the helicopter. This is what Sikorsky aircraft achieves. Their new S-97 Raider helicopter is capable of flying at speeds of up to 450 km/h. The first test flight was made in May 2015. Initially, only the military will be able to use this model. Helicopters also have not stopped developing (especially military ones, but we are not talking about them here). Promising models in development are described in the table below: Helicopter table
Bottom lineTo summarize, we can note at least 3 trends in the development of aviation. Developments of electric aircraft, the return of supersonic and the creation of a hybrid aircraft-helicopter (VTOL). The implementation of at least one of these developments will be a big breakthrough for the industry. In addition to these revolutionary changes, airplanes and helicopters are gradually improving with the release of new models (more fuel efficiency, more composite materials, cheaper operation, more automation, etc.),Tags: Add tags |
With a good source of energy, even a rock or an entire house will fly, but there are problems with this because there is little progress in the development of energy production and storage. I can also add that the American Knight Hawk stealth aircraft in general should not fly, but thanks to the on-board computer and electronics, which in real time monitors the critical flight parameters of the aircraft and does not allow and limits the transition of the aircraft to critical flight modes. Electronics did something that lifted a flying iron into the air. All these concepts are designed for new nanotechnology materials and a completely different type of engine. Who knows, maybe these techno fantasies will fly. The dream liner took off because it used carbon, carbon, plastic, carbon fiber, and fiberglass. Thanks to lithium-ion batteries, it has become possible to create a flying motorcycle or quadcopter. The main thing is a powerful and economical source of energy, and in aviation and spacecraft this is a huge problem
Source: © sites Even a rock or an entire house can fly with a good source of energy, but there are problems with this because progress in the development of energy production and storage is weak. I can also add that the American Knight Hawk stealth aircraft in general should not fly, but thanks to the on-board computer and electronics, which in real time monitors the critical flight parameters of the aircraft and does not allow and limits the transition of the aircraft to critical flight modes. Electronics did something that lifted a flying iron into the air. All these concepts are designed for new nanotechnology materials and a completely different type of engine. Who knows, maybe these techno fantasies will fly. The dream liner took off because it used carbon, carbon, plastic, carbon fiber, and fiberglass. Thanks to lithium-ion batteries, it has become possible to create a flying motorcycle or quadcopter. The main thing is a powerful and economical source of energy, and in aviation and spacecraft this is a huge problem
Source: © Fishki.net With a good source of energy, even a rock or an entire house will fly, but there are problems with this because progress in the development of energy production and storage is weak. I can also add that the American Knight Hawk stealth aircraft in general should not fly, but thanks to the on-board computer and electronics, which in real time monitors the critical flight parameters of the aircraft and does not allow and limits the transition of the aircraft to critical flight modes. Electronics did something that lifted a flying iron into the air. All these concepts are designed for new nanotechnology materials and a completely different type of engine. Who knows, maybe these techno fantasies will fly. The dream liner took off because it used carbon, carbon, plastic, carbon fiber, and fiberglass. Thanks to lithium-ion batteries, it has become possible to create a flying motorcycle or quadcopter. The main thing is a powerful and economical source of energy, and in aviation and spacecraft this is a huge problem
December 31, 1968 the legendary Soviet took off on its first flight Tu-144 aircraft, which became the world's first passenger supersonic airliner. The first, but not the last. And even though such flights have now stopped, the idea of traveling faster than the speed of sound has not faded away. And this review of ours is dedicated to history supersonic and hypersonic aviation, as well as her future.
The Bell X-1 is an experimental aircraft built in the United States specifically to explore the possibility of supersonic flight. This flying vehicle was equipped with a rocket engine, and was lifted into the air by another, larger device. The Bell X-1 was the first to break the sound barrier. It happened on October 14, 1947.
Even now the Tu-144 can be called the most beautiful and stylish creation domestic aviation. This aircraft became the world's first passenger airliner designed to fly above the speed of sound. Unfortunately, his story was quick and tragic. It carried passengers for less than a year - two high-profile accidents cast serious doubt on the reliability of this vehicle, and the profitability of flights was very negative. But the Tu-144 appeared in the film “Mimino” - it was on it that the main character of the film flew, becoming a civil aviation pilot. But the plane was cut out from “The Incredible Adventures of Italians in Russia.”
The fate of the French Concorde aircraft was much more successful. This supersonic airliner took off just two months later than the Soviet one, on March 2, 1969, and operated on passenger airlines from 1976 to 2003. The reason for decommissioning is still the same - a high-profile accident and unprofitability. The crisis in the air transportation markets after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as well as the development of online communications, also had an impact.
But the history of supersonic passenger aviation did not, apparently, end with the death of Concorde. After all, it is expected that in 2017 the QSST (SAI Quiet Supersonic Transport) aircraft from the famous American company Lockheed Martin will make its first flight. This airliner is designed for only twelve passengers - it is intended for charter business transportation.
Recently, the idea of hypersonic passenger aviation has become increasingly popular. It involves the creation of aircraft that will be able to ascend into suborbital orbit and fly there at speeds that are unthinkable in the atmosphere (5 Mach and higher, where M is the Mach number, a relative value exceeding 1000 kilometers per hour).
Until now, the idea of hypersonic flights looks like a fantasy in the minds of most ordinary people. However, the first aircraft to break the hypersonic barrier was launched back in 1959. We are talking about the American rocket plane North American X-15, which for 50 years held the record for altitude and flight speed among aircraft. These characteristics were 107.96 km and 7274 km/h, respectively.
The famous American research company DARPA conducted two tests of unmanned aerial vehicles in 2010 and 2011. aircraft Falcon HTV. Raised into the upper atmosphere using launch vehicles, Falcon HTV-1 and Falcon HTV-2 accelerated to a speed of approximately Mach 20, which became an absolute record for man-made objects. True, both launches ended unsuccessfully - the devices lost flight stability and crashed into the ocean. And they had nothing to do with civil aviation - the project was rather military. However, DARPA has proven that hypersonic flight has a great future, and the record, which lasted about fifty years, can easily be broken several times at once.
But there are also projects in the world for passenger hypersonic aircraft. The most famous and well-developed of them is the SpaceLiner device, work on which has been carried out at the German Aviation and Space Center since 2005. Like other similar projects, SpaceLiner implies that it will rise to its flight altitude not independently, but by means of a rocket. And only after reaching a mark of several tens of kilometers, it will be able to begin to pick up speed, which, by the way, according to the authors’ plans, will reach Mach 28. This will allow you to travel from London to Australia in just 90 minutes. The technology seems to be taken from a science fiction film, but very real existing devices use a similar lifting principle.
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