New silent airliner

DUBLIN (Reuters) - A new generation of barely- audible, fuel-efficient passenger aircraft described as "flying wings" with "virtual windows" could arrive in two decades, engineers from Britain's Cambridge University said on Friday.

"The noise level we're looking for would be to take it below the background noise that people experience outside airports ... below traffic noise levels," said Paul Collins, a mechanical engineer with the "Silent Aircraft Initiative."

It will be 20 years or more before the concept, which looks more like the U.S. military's B-2 Stealth Bomber than a jumbo jet, could enter service.

I think its a great idea. A silent, fuel efficient airliner. That would be good for the environment and for the people who have to suffer air pollution and noise pollution near major airports. The only problem would probably be cost. What do you guys think about it. I think its a great idea.

full story here: news.yahoo.com...

Mod Edit: Placed in quote box and trimmed down

[edit on 9/9/05 by FredT]

That would be great, everybody wins, except fuel companies! The airlines get a more fuel efficent plane, the enviroment wins, and less noise!

However I have to say although economical is good, noise level reduction wouldn't be much of a selling point. What I mean by that is that airliner noise is only noticable when it's pretty close to the airport, at low altitudes. Anything more than 40 miles and the plane's noise is barely noticable. I live about 50 miles away from Chicago O'Hare Airport (along with Midway Airport), right along one of the countries major flight paths, and they're barely noticable to me in the general area. Not that I don't care about the people living close to the airports, but I doubt airliners are going to give much of a care seing as the executives are motivated by nothing but self profit.

However if fuel efficiency can be incorporated to a practical amount, these'll sell like hotcakes if the airliners can get enough money. Ten years ago such aircraft would be sellouts, but today the airliners aren't doing quite as well.

Boeing had an idea like this. I forget what it was called. Someone, however, made a very good Flight simulator 2002/2004 model of it. You can find it somewhere on HERE

There are a few issues with passenger comfort and other things with this design that they have to work out before they even consider building it. Interesting idea though.

I guess that that is future... Planes will get more envirometal and more silenter... But hey, the noice is cool, that's one reason wy i love em'...

Boeing called their version the Blended Wing Body. Basically as it says the wing and body are all blended together and the body provides lift as well as the wings (if I remember rightly). Basically imagine a B2 but much bigger and the designs also tend to be high wing. Cambridge have basically done the same thing just moved the engines more on top (me thinks).


EDIT: Here is a pic of the Boeing version in a military tanker flavour:



Basically the same. The design has been kicking around for quite a while. Google BWB or Blended Wing Body or something similar for more info

[edit on 10/9/05 by Infidellic]

This subject has recently been covered, still on the next page.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Great idea.

Unfortunately Oil lobbiests will never allow it to happen.


(And think about it... do you think the Bush family would really be happy about backing a plane like that?)

This will come out of necessity as urban airports expand the number of flights and the residence in the surrounding area continue to complain about the noise. As it stands, many airports do not operate at night due to noise and the proximity to homes in the area.
A silent aircraft would open up these airports to increased flights without bothering the folks that live near the runways.
And that's just for the subsonic aircraft.


In our ever shrinking world and the desire to get where you going fast, supersonic aircraft are going to need to fly over land and not rattle windows with the sonic boom. I think this will have to be resolved before we see anyone building anything like the Concord again. A large part of it's failure was due to restrictions placed on it when it came to flying over inhabited areas.
It would be great to go from LAX to MIA in 30 - 40 min. but the people on the flight path would be screaming about the booms at our current stage of technology. Though this is being worked on.
If I recall correctly, NASA had worked on changing the nose of a small fighter with something that looked like a duck bill that cut the boom down to a lower level. (can't back that up with a link, just something I remember reading)