Airbus Prototype Upends Traditional Plane Design

A “blended-wing” design mostly merges the fuselage and wing.

 

This week, attendees of Singapore Airshow 2020 saw Airbus unveil a new craft inspired by certain military planes.

Maveric, which stands for Model Aircraft for Validation and Experimentation of Robust Innovate Controls, is in the initial stages of development. It features a “blended-wing” design that mostly merges the fuselage and the wing to give the appearance of one giant wing.

The design, says Airbus, could reduce fuel consumption for the plane by up to 20%.

Breaking from the conventional tube-shaped fuselage would allow the plane’s cabin to be redesigned. Side-by-side cabins on the wider structure could mean less congestion.

Currently, Airbus has been testing a 3.2-meter wide, remote-controlled version of Maveric to help assess the project’s viability.


More in Aerospace