2023-08-26 07:03:05
L’US Air Force commissioned the aircraft manufacturer JetZero to design a prototype transport or refueling aircraft equipped with a mixed wing. This particular architecture could save a lot of fuel while increasing the payload capacity of the aircraft.
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Who would have thought that the American military could project themselves into the energy sobrietyenergy sobriety of their arsenal? It is doubtless less for ecological than economic reasons that l’US Air Force wishes to develop its transport aircraft and tankers so that they are more efficient and consume less. L’US AirAir Force estimates that this type of aircraft appropriates up to 60% of military aviation fuel per year, or 4.5 billion liters of kerosenekerosene.
To succeed in making these transport planes more virtuous, the American Air Force relies on the aircraft manufacturer JetZero. He was retained to build a prototype of a mixed-wing aircraft which could predict what will be the future cargo planes of the army. A mixed-wing wing combines a classic fuselagefuselage with a flying wing architecture. The engines are at the rear at the top of the fuselage, which makes it possible to ensure takeoff and landing on makeshift runways, without fear of the engines swallowing debris. But, above all, this concept reduces drag by up to 30%. Consequently, the aircraftaircraft has improved lift and flies in a much less energy-intensive manner.
50% fuel savings
It is estimated that fuel savings can reach 50% with this mixed wing. Another advantage, with this aerodynamic profile, the noise is much less important. Finally, the cargo space is larger, since the cabin is no longer tube-shaped. This type of mixed wing is not new and the question has long arisen of adapting it to the needs of commercial aviation. The concern is that this structure requires a considerable reduction in the number of portholes to reinforce a structure that is less tolerant of pressurization. For passengers, the flight would be less comfortable and the absence of a window would cause anxiety. On the other hand, for military needs and the transport of freight, troops or supplies, this architecture should not pose any particular concerns. JetZero aims to design a functional prototype, capable of flying by 2027.
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