Future of the Flying wing

bdhill1979

bdhill1979

Gone West
I am writing a paper and looking to discuss some ideas to get started:


What applications might the flying wing be used in?

Will we see more civilian applications, or will the military be the sole arena?

Advantages versus disadvantages relating to design, stability, economy, versatility, etc..?

Some links that I have found so far:
Boeing Blended Wing Body

Wind Tunnel Tests of BWB

Boeing Blended Wing Body makes first flight

NASA release of BWB flight

Oblique Flying wing

Northrup Grumman Oblique flying wing

Northrup Grumman Tests Oblique Flying Wing

Your thoughts?
 
I've always heard that the big problem with the flying wing in a passenger configuration is the distribution around the center of the airplane. So, in a turn a passenger on the edge of the "wing" is going to spill his/her coffee. Seems like cargo shifting in flight could also be a problem.
 
SkiHigh2002 said:
I've always heard that the big problem with the flying wing in a passenger configuration is the distribution around the center of the airplane. So, in a turn a passenger on the edge of the "wing" is going to spill his/her coffee. Seems like cargo shifting in flight could also be a problem.
Click to expand...
Also passengers exiting in the event of an emergency has been suggested as a problem.

Passenger hauling might be a problem, but boxes can be tied down.
 
Aerodynamics is a pretty advanced science. The one major improvement in aerodynamics for a commercial aircraft would be using a flying wing. This is one of my favorite topics. I wish I had more time to go into depth on the subject.

If I were you, I would start out with its origins as the XB-35 (prop) and YB-49 (jet). Talk about the stability problems, its tendency to spin, and the crash that led to the termination of these programs. Glen Edwards (who Edward's AF base is named after) was killed in this crash. Talk about how the advent of modern day computers and fly by wire flight controls made it possible for this flying wing design to be incorporated on the B-2 stealth bomber. Two of my favorite details were:
1. It was Jack Northrop's lifelong dream to build a successful flying wing. He was responsible for the XB-35 and YB-49 projects which were ahead of their time. On his death bed, he was given a model of a B-2 and told that his company would produce a flying wing bomber. It brought tears to his eyes.
2. One of the XB-35/YB-49 pilots told the original test pilot on the B-2, "Whatever you do, don't stall it." Stalling the flying wing led to the deadly crash of the YB-49. When the B-2 test pilot returned from the maiden flight, he said he tried to stall it, but the damn thing won't let you (the computerized flight control system).

If you go to the Boeing website, on the front page is a picture of the X-48B flying wing concept. Boeing will build a commercial aircraft incorporating a blended wing. It is only a matter of time.
 
aerospacepilot said:
Aerodynamics is a pretty advanced science. The one major improvement in aerodynamics for a commercial aircraft would be using a flying wing. This is one of my favorite topics. I wish I had more time to go into depth on the subject.

If I were you, I would start out with its origins as the XB-35 (prop) and YB-49 (jet). Talk about the stability problems, its tendency to spin, and the crash that led to the termination of these programs. Glen Edwards (who Edward's AF base is named after) was killed in this crash. Talk about how the advent of modern day computers and fly by wire flight controls made it possible for this flying wing design to be incorporated on the B-2 stealth bomber. Two of my favorite details were:
1. It was Jack Northrop's lifelong dream to build a successful flying wing. He was responsible for the XB-35 and YB-49 projects which were ahead of their time. On his death bed, he was given a model of a B-2 and told that his company would produce a flying wing bomber. It brought tears to his eyes.
2. One of the XB-35/YB-49 pilots told the original test pilot on the B-2, "Whatever you do, don't stall it." Stalling the flying wing led to the deadly crash of the YB-49. When the B-2 test pilot returned from the maiden flight, he said he tried to stall it, but the damn thing won't let you (the computerized flight control system).

If you go to the Boeing website, on the front page is a picture of the X-48B flying wing concept. Boeing will build a commercial aircraft incorporating a blended wing. It is only a matter of time.
Click to expand...

Man I am on page 5 already, but you pretty much wrote the first three pages right there. Though I am leaning more towards the current concepts and future applications. The Northrop Grumman Oblique Flying wing is a pretty impressive concept. I guess they are already testing it up to 1.3 Mach in the wind tunnel.
 
Remember you have to SELL this planes!

The 2-3 lifting wings is a great design also, but it does not sell very well, well Piagio.....
 
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