Blended Wing Body Aircraft Lifts Off

The remotely operated X-48C Blended Wing Body aircraft lifts off Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on its first test flight Aug. 7, 2012. The sub-scale technology demonstrator, modified from the prior X-48B configuration, is entering a new flight test phase in a partnership between NASA and The Boeing Company's Phantom Works research and technology division.

The aircraft, designed by the Boeing Co. and built by Cranfield Aerospace Ltd. of the United Kingdom, is flying again in partnership with NASA. The new X-48C model, which was formerly the X-48B Blended Wing Body aircraft, was modified to evaluate the low-speed stability and control of a low-noise version of a notional, future Hybrid Wing Body (HWB) aircraft design. The HWB design stems from concept studies being conducted by NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation project of future potential aircraft designs 20 years from now.

Image Credit: NASA/Carla Thomas

The X-48C Prototype

A three percent scale model of a blended wing body aircraft design recently was tested in NASA Langley's 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel. During the testing, engineers sought to clarify results from a previous test of the X-48C prototype in the Langley Full Scale Tunnel.

The blended wing body is a hybrid shape that resembles a flying wing, but also incorporates features from conventional transport aircraft. This combination offers several advantages over conventional tube-and wing airframes. The BWB airframe merges efficient high-lift wings with a wide airfoil-shaped body, allowing the entire aircraft to generate lift and minimize drag. This shape helps to increase fuel economy and creates larger payload (cargo or passenger) areas in the center body portion of the aircraft. NASA and its industry partners have been investigating the blended wing aircraft concept for potential use as a future air transport for both civilian and military applications.

Image Credit: NASA Langley/Sean Smith