In support of the updates to the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project, we learned that NASA and Boeing will develop a new thin-wing aircraft technology. This latest flight technology will broadly apply to various aircraft configurations across various industries.

NASA and Boeing Are Conducting Research To Develop A Thin-Wing Aircraft, The X-66 Flight Demonstrator

Testing for a new flight demonstrator, the X-66, that will make use of thin-wing technology has been proposed by Boeing. This flight demonstrator incorporates what NASA refers to as “a more complex transonic truss braced wing concept.”

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The new concept uses “the same thin wing technology as well as aerodynamic, structural braces” that will be on the test vehicle for consideration. All considerations of this concept will be based on the technology’s testbed results as well as further studies on the truss-braced configuration.

Boeing will focus on the long, thin-wing technology that will be in use on the concept aircraft during their proposal presentation. Details on other aspects of the concept aircraft, such as its design and hardware, will not be in consideration during the presentation.

For the proposal, NASA and Boeing will draw on knowledge from their research under the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project. Even after the presentation, this research on truss-braced wing aircraft flight concept will continue between the space agency and the aerospace firm.

Following the presentation, the concept aircraft will undergo some testing to see its usability. The purpose of this research is to see how the new thin-wing concept can replace traditional aircraft wings.

A New And Sustainable Commercial Airline Is In Development

In 2023, NASA issued the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator award under which this new thin-wing concept exists. Under this program, NASA and Boeing have collaborated on this program to develop a new and sustainable flight solution.

Activities such as wind tunnel tests, computational fluid dynamics modelling, and structural design and analysis have been conducted on this new concept. Through these various tests, the researchers are expressing conviction that this concept will be able to usher in a new era of sustainable flight.
NASA says this will ensure “substantial improvements for next-generation airliner efficiency, lower costs for travellers, reduced fuel costs and consumption, and increase U.S. aviation’s technological leadership.” Already, the agency is working with Boeing to explore the potential of this concept of sustainable flight technology.