Supersonic passenger aircraft of the future. Super hopes: The past and future of supersonic passenger aircraft. New ideas in passenger aircraft construction

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 pilot civil aviation. 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 Apparently, it did not end with the death of Concord. 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 the Falcon HTV unmanned aerial vehicle in 2010 and 2011. 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.

“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 be the future of 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...

That's what you might have thought 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 to revive it. 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.

The 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 as it may be to realize, 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.

The 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 supersonic flight took place on earth.

Already in the 1950s, work began on the design and preparation for mass 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 Concordes 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 regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization were issued. 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. It, in turn, will go to supersonic speed in those places where this is allowed. 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 effort to prove that it is quite possible to build a supersonic airliner that flies quietly in the very coming years.

And a little more fun physics

So, when flying at a speed of more than Mach 1.2, the glider aircraft creates 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 supersonic aircraft flights over cities were banned.

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 empennage 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.

Among other things, they are now designing those that can provide the aircraft with movement at supersonic speed, 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 last, - model supersonic business a 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 so far 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, thanks 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 dedicated to memorable date- the twentieth anniversary since 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!

Aviation technology in the latest concepts regularly demonstrates advanced technological developments in various aspects of operation. This is not just about modernization modern models, but also a broader view of the future of the segment. Designers are focusing on the potential for development based on technologies that were considered innovative until recently. Of course, not all projects by which the aircraft of the future can be assessed will actually be implemented, but from many developments it is quite possible to get an overall idea of ​​the trends in aviation development.

New ideas in passenger aircraft construction

Among the most realistic developments in the near future we can note the Boeing 777X. Fundamentally innovative and striking innovations are not expected, but the designers of this model promise a serious redesign of the controls and the shape of the wings. For example, the 777X will combine ailerons and flaps to minimize overall structural weight. As for the special design of the wings, it will be sectional - each length will be 3.5 m, and the developers will also provide the possibility of vertical lifting for parking during taxiing. Like many others passenger aircraft future, this airliner is planned to be converted to more efficient fuel sources. The power plant will be provided by a twin-engine complex capable of being controlled with a wingspan of about 72 m. Presumably, the aircraft will enter service in 2020.

The Japanese development of Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) is also interesting. This vessel is a jet passenger airliner with 76 seats. In addition, in 2020, the creators plan to release several modifications, one of which will be 90-seater. According to many experts, Mitsubishi will offer more safe planes future than the Brazilian company Embraer and versions of the famous Superjet. This will be achieved through an updated fuselage design and more functional on-board systems.

Trends in military aviation

Military equipment traditionally displays more technologically advanced and functionally developed models. This partly applies to aviation. It's worth starting with communications support - massive antennas, sensors and radars may appear on the surfaces of future combat aircraft, which will allow them to capture and transmit electromagnetic waves. In practice, this will provide the ability to accurately “scan” objects within a 360 degree radius, regardless of weather conditions. Nanotechnologies will also bring new opportunities. In particular, some developments will provide coatings with a thermometer function, which will allow them to notify of damage. Already this decade, future military aircraft will most likely also receive lasers. Moreover, their use will be narrowly oriented. The first concepts are planned to be used as a means of destroying enemy missiles and air defense sensors. Microwave weapons will be used to destroy electronic devices. Both for equipping aircraft with lasers and for electromagnetic installations, special engines will be provided. The appearance of new bombers is also expected, but in this area the principles of destruction will remain the same, and changes will occur only in terms of design optimization.

Supersonic aircraft

This class remains one of the most promising and rich. For example, NASA plans to release a supersonic QueSST by 2020, which will be almost silent. This is an important feature, since high noise levels are the main reason for the ban to this day. supersonic aircraft for transporting passengers. With the help of new technologies, NASA plans to eliminate noise pollution during the transition to ultra-high speed. An interesting project is also supported by Virgin Galactic. This is a startup called Boom, which, according to some calculations, can reduce flight time over the Atlantic by 2.5 times compared to modern supersonic models. The fighter aircraft of the future, which in the sixth generation will go to supersonic speed, are also not being ignored. These are distant plans for now, but it is possible that similar developments will appear on the RQ-4 and Boeing F-X UAV platforms. According to some reports, the latest modifications will be able to achieve hypersonic speeds of 6 thousand km/h. But, again, operation of the sixth generation models will begin no earlier than 2050.

Flying cars

Cinematic images of flying personal cars seem like distant fantasy even today. Nevertheless, the Terrafugia company expects, if not to implement this concept in the near future, then to bring it closer. Not so long ago, the company's developers already presented a private car aircraft, but with one caveat - it was more of an airplane, since it required a runway with a flat surface 500 m long. And this is not to mention the difficulties of control, which only a professional could cope with pilot. However, in new versions, future aircraft from Terrafugia should at least get rid of the need to use runway. This achievement has already been demonstrated by the latest modification TF-X, capable of reaching about 350 km/h. The flight range is 805 km.

Hybrid aircraft

The ideas of environmentally friendly and energy efficient power supply have long been applied in traditional cars. It is quite logical that aircraft designers began to master them. In particular, engineers from Boeing have created a conceptual model of SUGAR, which should provide airlines with up to 70% savings compared to devices running on conventional fuel. Such a high percentage of energy savings was made possible thanks to electric batteries. While waiting for passengers, SUGAR will be simultaneously filled with traditional fuel and charged from the airport's energy terminal. Conventional fuel materials are intended only for take-off, and the flight itself is carried out by electric motors. And this is not the only development of this type. Today, future aircraft designs are designed with the possibility of a complete transition to electricity. The most ambitious ideas also concern accumulation solar energy, which can make energy supply 100% free.

Innovation in the private sector

Very original developments are also appearing on the private jet market. Thus, the Bombardier Global 8000 model is a business jet designed for 8 seats. It promises to set a record for flying without refueling over a distance of about 15,000 km. The speed will be 950 km/h. Also interesting is the seemingly unusual SkiGull model, which is called an amphibious aircraft. The name is due to the ability of the device to land on the water surface. This new development, but in the near future it will become available to everyone who wants to purchase it. Icon specialists also offer combined aircraft of the future for private users. The A5 model represents a two-seat seaplane option that not only allows you to land and take off from the surface of the water, but is also capable of recovering from a spin and, if necessary, ejecting the pilot with a parachute.

Space air travel

The already mentioned company Virgin Galactic is also engaged in tourism in the form of space flights. But in the future, as its representatives note, technology will allow ordinary users of aircraft to perform suborbital flights from one point on the planet to another. That is, there is no talk of flights to the far corners of space, but entering orbit by overcoming the atmospheric layer is possible. Today, an example of the implementation of this idea is the devices of the Space Ship Two family. Such aircraft of the future will be able to rise to a height of more than 15 km and deliver passengers to different parts of the Earth with minimal time.

The future of the Russian aircraft industry

The domestic aircraft industry was in a state of crisis for a long time and only last years serious attempts were made to radically change the situation. The prospects for the development of the Russian segment of the industry are associated with two fairly successful developments. Firstly, this is the Sukhoi Superjet SSJ 100, which shows decent technical and operational performance, opening up new opportunities for further advancement of the project. For example, in 2019 it is planned to release a modification with 120 seats. Secondly, Russia’s future aircraft based on the MS-21 also inspire great hope for the development of the complex. This platform should be released in 2020. This is a short-to-medium-haul airliner, the power plant of which is created entirely using domestic components.

Conclusion

Perhaps the key trend in the development of the industry can be called the elimination of operational restrictions for aircraft of various classes. Moreover, this applies not only to technical indicators, but also to niche barriers. For example, the famous line “airplanes come first” ceases to be relevant. A fighter from the future, a cargo liner, or a passenger ship may well get the appearance of a helicopter. In some segments, promising helicopter models are successfully replacing traditional aircraft. It is possible that this trend will continue in the future. In particular, the Bell 525 family promises to be the first helicopters with a fly-by-wire control system, which minimizes the workload on the crew. And Airbus's Helicopters concepts are set to set records in terms of payload capacity. According to the manufacturer, by 2020 such models will be able to transport loads of up to 10 tons.

 

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