Bjorn’s Corner: New plane systems. Part 20. Productive traveling

By Bjorn Fehrm

July 7, 2023, ©. Leeham News: We discover different technologies in the series that can make our up coming-era airliners a lot more effective and, consequently, significantly less polluting.

We have reviewed developments of engine and airframe technologies, these kinds of as Turbofans compared to Open up Rotors and distinctive airframe configurations to limit drag and, therefore, vitality intake.

When employing these developments to raise efficiency we ought to fly the aircraft in a distinct way depending on the technology.

And how we fly the plane is not only influenced by the factors we have mentioned. We need to consider components at the airplane stage, at the airliner operational stage, and at last, at the airline fleet degree.

Determine 1. The NMA concepts involved dual aisle airliners. Supply: Leeham Co.

Operational efficiency signifies additional than aircraft performance

We have talked over components influencing airframe and motor efficiencies like best fuselage types (single aisle vs. twin aisle, Determine 1), reduced drag airframe traits (reduce parasitic and/or induced drag, Figures 2 and 3), and engine developments.

Figure 2. To lessen parasitic drag, the JetZero airliner utilizes a BWB configuration. Resource: JetZero.

These are all aircraft technologies to decreased the electrical power/gas use of the airliner and, by it, emissions.

Figure 3. The NASA and Boeing Truss Braced Wing X-66A demonstrator plane shall fly in 2028. Source: Boeing.

But plane operational price tag minimization involves far more than minimizing electricity/gas usage. The exceptional cruise velocity for the airframe is not optimum speed for an aircraft with crew and passengers. Time-dependent expense variables now modify how the airliner shall be flown.

Witnessed at an even bigger level, a flight profile that minimizes operational costs could not be the profile that optimizes the airline’s fleet utilization.

We will examine all these distinct elements and how the new systems impact strength and cost optimizations at unique degrees.

We commence by seeking at what consequences various airframe/motor improvements have for how the airliner shall fly. Example:

• Why will have to a Truss Braced Wing fly higher than a standard airliner? What consequences does it have for its procedure?
• Why does an Open up Rotor propulsion procedure profit from a decrease functioning pace than a turbofan airliner, and what is the flight profile that optimizes an Open up Rotor airliner’s performance?

Then we seem at what this implies on the next level of optimizations:

• What aspects of the airliner’s costs drive a bigger cruise pace than the airframe’s lengthy-vary cruise pace?
• Why would fleet management adjust these speeds further to enhance fleet efficiency?

We commence by on the lookout at airframe and engine-linked things future 7 days.

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