Page 8 - AAA MAY - JUNE 2016 Online Magazine

FEATURE QUESST

It is hoped that the data gathered of the hybrid wing body configuration using
from flying QueSST will help the Federal computers, wind tunnels and subscale
Aviation Administration and its international unpiloted flight tests on the X-48 aircraft
counterparts establish noise-related flown at Nasa Armstrong Flight Research
regulations that will make it possible for Center. A lot of data is already in hand to
commercial supersonic airliners to fly over inform an X-plane that will test the highest
land across country. number of advanced technologies.
“Providing that data will be a key step
in bringing accessible and affordable Honeywell Initiative
supersonic flight to the traveling public,” Honeywell Aerospace is working with
Coen says. Armstrong Flight Research Center to study
According to Nasa, the New Aviation the most effective way to visually inform
Horizons X-planes will typically be about pilots flying supersonic jets about sonic
half-scale of a production aircraft, although booms.
some may be smaller or larger, and are likely Honeywell recently flight-tested new OPPOSITE PAGE: Already
to be piloted. Design-and-build will take cockpit displays that help pilots see sonic in use on Honeywell Primus
several years, with vehicles going to flight booms before they happen so they can Epic integrated cockpits on
starting around 2020 depending on funding. reroute and reduce the effects of aircraft Dassault, Gulfstream, Pilatus
Included in the plan are ultra-efficient noise over populated areas. By predicting and Beechcraft aircraft,
INAV will help make the next
aircraft such as a hybrid wing body aircraft, sonic boom footprints, Honeywell will remove generation of supersonic flight
a hybrid electric airplane and a flight a key roadblock to speed up the introduction a reality
demonstrator that reduces the sound of of supersonic travel and support one of
supersonic flight to a soft thump. Nasa’s goals to modernize flight. BELOW: Since the Concord took
its last flight in 2003, there
For the past decade, Nasa and partners Early in 2015, Honeywell was awarded have been hopes of supersonic
have studied the performance and benefits a two-year contract as part of Nasa’s travel becoming a reality again

8 ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE MAY/ JUNE 2016 WWW.GBP.COM.SG/AAA