Page 22 - SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 2024 - INSIGHT

“

Taken together, these

advances could improve

fuel consumption by up

to 30% when compared

to today’s most-efficient

single-aisle airplanes.
Mike Sinnett, Vice President,
Product Development at Boeing

Mike Sinnett Vice President, some, many or all of them could can follow along at Boeing.com.
Product Development at find their way onto the next com- There’s a video there, under the
Boeing talks the next big mercial airplane. And this is so News tab, of the initial modifica-
thing from Boeing. important because they hold great tion work being performed on the
promise in moving us closer to our airplane. The transformation has
Q Talk us through the X-66 Truss industry’s goal of net-zero aviation begun. The engines are off, laser
Wing development goals – what greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. measurements have been taken.
is it promising? Could it be a It’s an audacious target and no one Before long, the original wings will
gamechanger? configuration or technology will get be removed. They will eventually
us there, but this set has the poten- be replaced with a combination
I would say that it takes a lot of tial to move a big step in the right of a high aspect-ratio, thin wings
pathfinders to arrive at a game direction. fabricated with advanced compos-
changer. The X-66 is one of those ite materials, supported by a set
pathfinders, with great potential, In addition to the X-66 configuration of trusses (which are themselves
which is why we’re so excited about demonstrator, there is work being wings) that provide both lift and
working with NASA and our industry done around the world in laborato- support of the upper wing. This
partners to advance our knowledge ries, design houses and on other is one aspect of the aerodynamic
with this exciting set of technolo- programmes like Boeing’s eco- efficiency inherent in this unique
gies. And I say “set of technologies” Demonstrators, to advance multiple configuration. The modifications
because this one programme will aspects of aerodynamics, materials, are extensive and are going to take
advance our collective knowledge in systems architectures, propulsion time – we don’t expect to fly until
a number of specific areas including and energy carrier technologies. 2028. But the design, fabrication,
high aspect-ratio wing design with Taken together, these advances assembly, installation and test are
advanced materials, novel actua- could improve fuel consumption all part of the learning.
tion architectures for thin wings, the by up to 30% when compared to
advanced aerodynamics of truss/ today’s most-efficient single-aisle Q Once flight tested and proven,
wing/body/nacelle interaction, and airplanes. what could be a potential timeline
the advanced aeroelastics enabled for the production version? Would
by new control laws and novel Q How is the development pro- it be a A320 width cabin rather
structural architecture. gramme moving along? Details? than an MD-90?

We probably will never offer for We’re being really open with the There is a lot of learning in front
sale this specific configuration, but progress we’re making transforming of us before we’re ready to talk
as we learn from the technologies, our MD-90 into the X-66. People about where we would take the

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