Tag Archives: airplane

NASA’s Innovative X-59: The Supersonic Jet Designed to Fly with a Whisper, Not a Boom

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NASA has officially revealed the X-59, an experimental aircraft developed in partnership with Lockheed Martin, marking a significant milestone in aviation history. This plane has a unique stretched-out arrowhead shape and is painted in red, white, and blue to redefine supersonic flight. The X-59 has an ambitious yet profound mission: to break the sound barrier over land while minimizing the sonic boom to a level that won’t startle those on the ground.

Designer: Lockheed Martin Skunk Works x NASA

The X-59’s design is a marvel of aerospace engineering. Its most striking feature is its elongated nose, measuring 38 feet long, which is over one-third of its total length of 99 feet and 7 inches. This design is integral to the aircraft’s ability to reduce sonic boom intensity. Within this innovative structure, there’s a compartment for a single pilot. However, the X-59 breaks conventional norms by having a flush cockpit with the aircraft’s surface, eliminating the need for a forward windshield. Instead, pilots will rely on an advanced camera system and a screen inside the cockpit, providing them with a virtual view of their surroundings.

The two NASA test pilots operating the X-59 are equipped with a state-of-the-art 4K monitor, replacing the traditional glass windshield. Despite this unconventional setup, the aircraft does include traditional windows, although these do not offer a direct forward view. Instead, a glass canopy allows the pilot to look up or to the sides, enhancing spatial awareness. Interestingly, the aircraft also features two additional windows that offer limited forward visibility due to the placement of a wing assembly known as a canard. This innovative design prompted a humorous exchange, with lead test pilot David Nils Larson joking about a “Wonder Woman mod” for see-through metal canards.

The X-59 also boasts the eXternal Visibility System (XVS), a cutting-edge feature combining images from two cameras outside the aircraft with advanced terrain data. This system ensures pilots have comprehensive visual information, even without direct forward visibility. The aircraft is equipped with two distinct camera systems: a high-definition camera on the top and a retractable camera on the bottom. The latter is crucial for having a view of the runway and retracting during flight to maintain aerodynamic efficiency and reduce sonic boom impact.

NASA’s X-59 aircraft is specifically designed to reduce the effects of breaking the sound barrier. Typically, when an aircraft flies at speeds of approximately 925 miles per hour at an altitude of around 55,000 feet, it produces shockwaves that create a loud sonic boom. However, the X-59 aims to produce a milder “thump” sound instead. The aircraft’s careful design, including its long nose, plays a crucial role in achieving this. The long nose helps to space out the shockwaves created by the aircraft, preventing them from merging into a louder sonic boom.

While the X-59 is ready to roll out, its flight tests are scheduled for later this year. The pilots, having practiced in simulators, acknowledge that the X-59 may not be the easiest aircraft to handle, but its purpose transcends conventional flight performance. This aircraft is not just about breaking speed records; it’s about revolutionizing supersonic travel over land in a quiet and discreet manner.

In conclusion, the X-59 marks a pivotal moment in aviation history. It combines innovative design with cutting-edge technology and holds the potential for faster and quieter travel in the future. As this aircraft prepares to take to the skies, it carries with it the hopes and aspirations of the aviation industry, where the barriers of sound and efficiency are overcome with ingenuity and vision.

The post NASA’s Innovative X-59: The Supersonic Jet Designed to Fly with a Whisper, Not a Boom first appeared on Yanko Design.

Award-Winning Solar-Powered Aircraft Ushers in a New Era of Zero-Emission Travel

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Carbon-neutral flight seems to quite literally be on the horizon with this conceptual falcon-shaped aircraft. The eponymously named Falcon Horizon embraces the boundless potential of solar power with a uniquely designed body that additionally helps with lift and allows the aircraft to navigate the skies. Departing from conventional aircraft design, this concept harnesses the advantages of flying wings, drawing inspiration from the efficiency of birds of prey.

Designer: Laszlo Nemeth

In an era where solar-powered manned flight is not only possible but actively under development, the aviation industry carries a weighty responsibility to chart a sustainable course. Falcon Solar minimizes the need for cumbersome batteries, leveraging solar energy not just for propulsion, but also for shaping the boundary layer around the wing, unlocking heightened efficiency. The solar panels extend from one wing to another, covering a massive area of the airplane, and therefore providing it with the power it needs to complete its journey. The delicate balance between propulsion and boundary layer manipulation yields superior overall performance.

As we witness the dawn of a new age in aviation, Falcon Solar stands as a testament to the potential of clean, renewable energy sources to reshape the skies. Although just a concept for now, its innovative format speaks to the collective aspirations of a world seeking greener horizons, while propelling us towards a future where the sky truly knows no limits. Explore the future of flight with Falcon Solar – where innovation meets sustainability.

The Falcon Solar is a winner of the Red Dot Award: Design Concept for the year 2023.

The post Award-Winning Solar-Powered Aircraft Ushers in a New Era of Zero-Emission Travel first appeared on Yanko Design.

Air Chair is a wheelchair that easily integrates into airplane seats

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As a “mobile” person who loves to travel, I can only imagine how difficult it is for persons with disabilities to travel on airplanes and go through airports. They have to rely on the assistance of their companions or the airplane personnel in order to board a plane and they have to keep their wheelchair in storage for the entire flight duration. If it’s a long-haul flight, they have limited mobility and accessibility. That’s why this new design concept for a wheelchair is pretty important to help them have a more convenient traveling experience.

Designers: aamer siddiqui and Ali Asgar

The Air Chair is a concept design for a wheelchair that can be used for an entire travel experience for the person with disabilities. It can be used to go through the airport and once boarded on the plane, it can be integrated into the aircraft seat without having to remove a seat or fold up the wheelchair itself. The idea also is to be able to use the inflight features of the plane and the airplane seat in the wheelchair so that they will still be able to avail of these features while sitting in their own chair.

They were able to create a design that will accommodate the wheelchair even if the plane has a narrow aisle. The seat dimension is 16.5″ which should be able to fit most aircraft seats, at least for the regular-sized plane sections of the Boeing 777-300 plane. The wheelchair itself slides into the seat and should be able to use features like the seatbelt, life vest, and even the inflight infotainment system that the aircraft provides. It has a C-shaped design and has spherical wheels for easy sliding into the seat and should fit like a glove. There’s also a locking mechanism that attaches to the metal bar under the chair that will make it stable and prevent any unnecessary movement the entire flight.

The Air Chair will give passengers with disabilities the freedom to move around on their own if they prefer to, from their home to the airport to the plane and off the plane. The current options that they have can often be demeaning and inconvenient. The next step for the designers is to make a working model and eventually, they should be able to pitch this product to the airline industry and even direct to customers as well. On paper, it’s a well-designed concept that will be able to offer users “freedom, mobility, comfort, and security” when they travel.

The post Air Chair is a wheelchair that easily integrates into airplane seats first appeared on Yanko Design.

Decommissioned Boeing 747 reincarnates as suspended office space for Seattle complex

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If you thought the office you visit every weekday is not as interesting as you want it to be, then you should look forward to this suspended Boeing 747 office and lounge space in the towering Seattle apartment complex.

Real estate development firm Westbank wants to do something out of the box for its WB1200 Stewart development in Seattle. So, they really went bonkers and decided to bring the Boeing 747 smack in the middle of the towering 48-story high-rise buildings. This 25-feet long Boeing airplane was formerly operated by United Airlines, and now its wings have been clipped to function as a cool office and lounge space. The project underway in partnership with Tokyo-based architecture firm OSO is under work and is designed by Henriquez Partners Architects.

Designer: Westbank and OSO

According to Michael Chaplin, Westbank’s VP of development in Seattle, “We were always looking for a way to make this space not feel like your typical three-story retail mall.” Slated to open later this year, the space will be a head-turner as the plane floats one story above the ground. With its semi-deployed landing gear, those who walk beneath will feel as if it is coming in for a landing. The interior space of this niche installment in the city will be used to host events, hold meetings and act as an office space or leasing properties.  There will be a public gallery too which will be open for visitors to explore.

Measuring almost the length of a football field, the decommissioned Boeing 747 will fill the long alley of Westbank’s galleria. The raw aluminum body of the plane is fully exposed for onlookers to rejoice, and soon it will be brought in pieces from California to be assembled at the location, and for this, the building’s floor is being replaced. The flooring will transition into the plane’s interior seamlessly which in itself will be a unique experience.

There are not many details other than this, but Westbank has hinted, that the space will feel anything but like the 747 fuselage. As Michael further added, “You walk down the street, turn the corner, and probably the last thing you’d think would be in this space is the 747 fuselage.”

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This crafty little bed comes with overhead storage… just like on an airplane!

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Perhaps the most ingenious inspirational overlap I’ve seen in a while, the COBBO bed gives beds a rather clever little upgrade! The COBBO bed uses the empty space between the mattress to put a nifty cabinet, reminiscent of the overhead storage you get on airplanes… so you can live out your wanderlust airplane fantasies while sitting at home!

An airplane’s cabin is perhaps the most ideal example of space optimization. Every single nook and corner of an airplane cabin goes unwasted… with the seats being packed in the most space-saving orientation, tables being folded up to eat less space, and overhead areas being used to store luggage, that would otherwise need to be kept on the floor. Michael Hilgers decided to carry this utilitarian approach from aircrafts into regular homes, giving it a minimalist upgrade that looks much more visually aesthetic than functional.

The COBBO bed, designed for furniture manufacturer OTTO, comes with a simple Nordic-inspired design with solid oak legs and white storage cabinets that are located above the sleeping area. The bed’s slightly tapered design serves two purposes, it gives the piece of furniture both visual and physical lightness, since the cabinet above the bed is significantly slimmer than the bed itself. This allowed Hilgers to use slim wooden pillars instead of metal ones, since the cabinet above the bed wouldn’t end up being overly heavy.

The slim cabinet/shelf comes with four doors (two on either side) that open to reveal a perfectly slim nook to store items like books, quilts, throws, and cushions. It’s a clever way to provide storage without cluttering the floor, making it perfect for smaller rooms, student housing, people who like minimal interiors, or just the wanderlust who wants the experience of being in an airplane but can’t travel much because of the pandemic!

Designer: Michael Hilgers for OTTO

The post This crafty little bed comes with overhead storage… just like on an airplane! first appeared on Yanko Design.

Disability-friendly Aircraft seat design by PriestmanGoode folds up to fit a wheelchair in its place

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Design Studio PriestmanGoode, along with Flying Disabled and SWS Certification, has unveiled Air 4 All, a system that aims to revolutionize and democratize air travel for passengers with reduced mobility (PRM) by enabling powered wheelchair users to remain in their own wheelchair for the entire air journey. The aircraft seat features a folding design that allows the seat to conceal itself within the backrest, while a rail and lock on the floor lets powered wheelchairs slide in and lock into place, fitting in the area where the seat once was. The launch coincides with the 35th anniversary of the Air Carriers Access Act, passed by US Congress in 1986 to guarantee that people with disabilities would receive consistent and nondiscriminatory treatment when traveling by air.

Designer: PriestmanGoode for Flying Disabled and SWS Certification

PriestmanGoode mentions that the Air 4 All system is designed to be compatible with a wide range of airline seats and powered wheelchair types. Currently, the system has been designed keeping the narrowbody 2+2 configuration in mind, giving flights the ability to convert front row seats and install a wheelchair guidance and locking system to the aircraft. This configuration allows for up to two wheelchairs per row to travel on a single flight. A consortium formed by PriestmanGoodde, Flying Disabled, and SWS Certification will also be working alongside Sunrise Medical to establish those powerchairs that would be fit to fly, as well as to retrofit and create new standards for powered wheelchairs, thus enabling passengers with the most challenging disabilities to travel. Chris Wood MBE, Founder of Flying Disabled mentioned that “Air 4 All is the first system that has been developed jointly by a design agency, a certification body and with input from the disabled community. With a leading global wheelchair manufacturer as well as the subsidiary of a major airline on board to develop the product, it’s a truly collaborative project.”

In a press release, Paul Priestman, designer and Chairman of PriestmanGoode said “Air 4 All will usher in a step-change in the industry and finally offer equal access to comfort, safety, and dignity for all passengers. The biggest barrier in the past has been that giving greater space to passengers in wheelchairs would have reduced seat count and resulted in a loss of revenue for airlines. Air 4 All solves this problem and has the added benefit of enabling airlines to retain the design of their cabin on every seat, ensuring brand consistency and a cohesive brand experience for all passengers. Air 4 All will facilitate a smoother boarding and disembarking experience for PRMs and will also significantly reduce the number of wheelchairs that are damaged through poor handling.”

The Air 4 All seating system forms just one of many innovations by PriestmanGoode in the aviation industry. In 2019, the studio unveiled an eco-friendly in-flight meal tray made from non-plastic elements that were “either partially edible, reusable, soluble or biodegradable.” The studio has also extensively worked with Airbus as strategic design and innovation partners for over 20 years.

The Air 4 All has been granted a patent, and the first prototype of the Air 4 All system is expected in December 2021. The patent covers all types of wheelchairs across every mode of public transport. The consortium is looking for partners across the transport sector to develop the system for other modes of travel like rail and metro.

Designer: PriestmanGoode for Flying Disabled and SWS Certification

Bell & Ross’s aircraft radar-inspired timepiece will make you look like an international Bond villain!

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Ever seen a watch that’s fascinating yet unsettling at the same time?

The Red Radar Ceramic from Bell & Ross looks absolutely stunning with its aircraft control radar-inspired dial. Designed in a sinister black-and-red color-way, the watch features a dial with multiple concentric circles and a sweeping seconds hand to make it look like the radar’s in the process of scanning. To tell the time, the dial comes with two airplanes that indicate the hours and minutes respectively as they rotate around in circles. It’s a treat to watch time go by, and I’m sure the next time you’re passing through an airport, the TSA’s going to really think you’re a cool cat!

As its name suggests, the Red Radar Ceramic comes with a 42mm wide ceramic body. The watch itself runs on Bell & Ross’ own BR-CAL.302 automatic movement, and is housed in a casing that’s water-resistant up to 100 meters. To top things off, the watch obviously comes with a sapphire crystal glass on top, but for added appeal, the glass is tinted red too, giving the watch its crimson radar-inspired design.

The watch is a part of a limited release, with just 999 units up for sale. If you fancy yourself a slick Bond villain-type and you’ve got $4,300 to spare, you could probably get your hands on a piece.

Designer: Bell & Ross

This ultralight aircraft seat was designed to help reduce fuel burn and CO2 emissions!

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Ensuring that an aircraft maintains a lightweight body and structure is critical for a few reasons. The lighter the aircraft, the less expensive it is to fly. As additional weight is added to any aircraft, more fuel is needed to fly, which in turn means that more CO2 gas emissions are released during flight. Keep that in mind the next time you’re transferring piles of underwear from your suitcase to your carry-on in the middle of the airport lobby. In order to provide the lightest business class seat possible, JPA Design teamed up with Williams Advanced Engineering and SWS Aircraft Certification to create AIRTEK.

JPA Design’s aim is simple: to produce an all-composite seat structure to help airlines save fuel and CO2. In doing so, the brains and operation behind AIRTEK have produced an ultralight seat that’s durable and thick, constructed from recycled materials to reduce its carbon footprint without compromising comfort or storage. In order to achieve all of this while maintaining AIRTEK’s lightweight quality, JPA Design designed the seat to be self-supporting so that its loads are supported by the skin and shell of the seat.

Since the seat is largely self-supported, fewer internal structures are required for construction, lending to a more lightweight, yet plush aircraft seat. In addition to a lighter weight, fewer internal structures result in more room for customer perks like more legroom and extra storage space. AIRTEK’s lightweight form and structure not only provides customers with aircraft benefits for long flights and extra carry-on bags but also allows airlines to carry passengers to and from destinations and burn less fuel in the process.

In designing AIRTEK, JPA Design managed to create a patented unibody, composite, monocoque aircraft structure entirely built from recycled materials. From its conceptualization to its construction, the makers behind AIRTEK remained devoted to their initial aim. Setting out to help save fuel and CO2, JPA Design sculpted an ultralight business class seat, with credit to a skillful combination of technical engineering and artful craftsmanship.

Designers: JPA Design x Williams Advanced Engineering x SWS Aircraft Certification

AIRTEK’s monocoque build and self-supported seat provide extra storage area and legroom.

Without the need for extra internal structure, AIRTEK allows more space for customer benefits.

“Our aim is to produce an all-composite seat structure, for optimization of seat mass, which in turn will lead to airlines saving fuel and CO2.”

“The ultra-light seat is designed with durable, single material thicknesses and surrounded by safe storage places for your laptop, cabin bag, and personal items.”

The extra storage bin provides travelers with supplemental security when stowing sway their bags, thanks to an elastic strap.

The coat hook from AIRTEK was inspired by fashion footwear, providing a strong, minimal hook.

This stealth plane-inspired EVTOL comes with fans inside its wings, and can seat 5 people!

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Science fiction would have you believe it’s pretty easy to have an aircraft that takes off vertically like a helicopter, and then suddenly sprouts wings and thrusters which let it fly like a jet. It’s an incredibly tricky maneuver that’s fuel-intensive, and it becomes doubly complicated when you’re trying to make the entire aircraft an electric machine. However, Canada’s Horizon Aircraft has a pretty interesting aircraft with a hybrid power system and a patent-pending wing design.

Just on face value, the Horizon Cavorite X5 looks like an absolute sci-fi wet-dream. It sports the aesthetic of a sleek stealth-bomber, and comes with wings that, get this, split open to reveal multiple fans underneath (yes, wings with FANS!) These fans help the EVTOL take off and land vertically (like a helicopter) on a landing pad, and the outer covers close shut to turn the X5 into a wing-based aircraft that can hit speeds of up to 350 km/h (217mph).

The Cavorite X5 comes named after a fictional super-material first mentioned in H.G> Wells’ 1901 book The First Men in the Moon, which, when cooled, can cancel out the effects of gravity. The plane takes on those very characteristics too, with its unique ability to hover vertically before flying like a normal plane. With an LS V8 engine onboard and a relatively modest battery system, the Cavorite X5 can achieve cruise speeds of up to 350 km/h, traveling as far as 500 kilometers while carrying cargo. The EVTOL has seating for 5 people and enough space for cargo to match. Without passengers or cargo, the Cavorite X5’s range gets bumped up to a much more impressive 1000 kilometers or 625 miles.

The company behind the aircraft, Horizon, is currently working on a 1:6 scale version to begin testing its systems and software, and plans to have a half-scale machine built by the end of the year, with production beginning as early as 2024.

Designer: Horizon Aicraft

Toy Football/Plane Hybrid Can Be Thrown Over 100 Yards

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This is the Mad Fly Sports Raptor Football, a toy football/plane hybrid that can be thrown over 100 yards. So maybe for once when my brother tells me to go long, he’ll actually mean it. The toy does require a unique throw (read: not a football spiral) for the creation of maximum lift and distance though, so there is a learning curve involved.

The $50 toy, available on Amazon (affiliate link), is advertised as the world’s farthest-flying football, with ‘football’ clearly being defined very loosely here, because that is much less a ball and way more a plane. But did that stop me from starting an online petition demanding the NFL make it their new official ball? It did not.

Obviously, the ball still requires a decent arm to be able to throw it over 100 yards. With my sad arm, you’d probably have a hard time distinguishing if a throw was actually a throw or just an accidental drop. Hey, it’s not my fault Santa never brought me a Bowflex. Granted I’ve never asked for one either, but still.

[via Dude I Want That]