Horizontal view (side) of model, Ray Schmoranc in photo. Test #452

The Fan Noise Test Facility built at the Lewis Research Center to obtain far-field noise data for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and General Electric Quiet Engine Program. The engine incorporated existing noise reduction methods into an engine of similar power to those that propelled the Boeing 707 or McDonnell-Douglas DC-8 airliner. The new the low-bypass ratio turbofan engines of the 1960s were inherently quieter than their turbojet counterparts, researchers had a better grasp of the noise generation problem, and new acoustic technologies had emerged. Lewis contracted General Electric in 1969 to build and aerodynamically test three experimental engines with 72-inch diameter fans. The engines were then brought to Lewis and tested with an acoustically treated nacelle. This Fan Noise Test Facility was built off of the 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel’s Main Compressor and Drive Building. Lewis researchers were able to isolate the fan’s noise during these initial tests by removing the core of the engine. The Lewis test rig drove engines to takeoff tip speeds of 1160 feet per second. The facility was later used to test a series of full-scale model fans and fan noise suppressors to be used with the quiet engine. NASA researchers predicted low-speed single-stage fans without inlet guide vanes and with large spacing between rotors and stators would be quieter. General Electric modified a TF39 turbofan engine by removing the the outer protion of the fan and spacing the blade rows of the inner portion. The tests revealed that the untreated version of the engine generated less noise than was anticipated, and the acoustically treated nacelle substantially reduced engine noise.

The augmentor wing concept was introduced during the early 1960s to enhance the performance of vertical and short takeoff (VSTOL) aircraft. The leading edge of the wing has full-span vertical flaps, and the trailing edge has double-slotted flaps. This provides aircraft with more control in takeoff and landing conditions. The augmentor wing also produced lower noise levels than other VSTOL designs. In the early 1970s Boeing Corporation built a Buffalo C-8A augmentor wing research aircraft for Ames Research Center. Researches at Lewis Research Center concentrated their efforts on reducing the noise levels of the wing. They initially used small-scale models to develop optimal nozzle screening methods. They then examined the nozzle designs on a large-scale model, seen here on an external test stand. This test stand included an airflow system, nozzle, the augmentor wing, and a muffler system below to reduce the atmospheric noise levels. The augmentor was lined with noise-reducing acoustic panels. The Lewis researchers were able to adjust the airflow to simulate conditions at takeoff and landing. Once the conditions were stabilized they took noise measurements from microphones placed in all directions from the wing, including an aircraft flying over. They found that the results coincided with the earlier small-scale studies for landing situations but not takeoffs. The acoustic panels were found to be successful.

High Speed Research (HSR) Source Noise Test-592, 40x80ft w.t.

MD-900 (N900MH) Helicopter Noise Abatement Test - Crows Landing

MD-900 (N900MH) Helicopter Noise Abatement Test - Crows Landing, Microphones

High Speed Research (HSR) Source Noise Test-592, 40x80ft w.t.

MD-900 (N900MH) Helicopter Noise Abatement Test - Crows Landing, Microphones,

MD-900 (N900MH) Helicopter Noise Abatement Test - Crows Landing, Van

High Speed Research (HSR) Source Noise Test-592, 40x80ft w.t.

MD-900 (N900MH) Helicopter Noise Abatement Test - Crows Landing, Control Room with test evaluation crew

MD-900 (N900MH) Helicopter Noise Abatement Test - Crows Landing, Control Room with test evaluation crew

A Pratt and Whitney J57 engine is tested with a Greatex No.1 nozzle in the Altitude Wind Tunnel at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. At the time the aircraft industry was preparing to introduce jet airliners to the nation’s airways. The noise produced by the large jet engines, however, posed a considerable problem for communities near airports. The NACA had formed a Special Subcommittee on Aircraft Noise to coordinate research on the issue. Preliminary tests showed that the source of the loudest noise was not the engine itself, but the mixing of the engine’s exhaust with the surrounding air in the atmosphere. The pressures resulting from this turbulence produced sound waves. Lewis researchers undertook a variety of noise-reduction studies involving engine design, throttling procedures, and noise suppressors. One of their first efforts focused on new types of nozzles to mix the exhaust with the surrounding air. The nozzles had a variety of shapes designed to slow down exhaust velocity before it combined with the air and thus decrease the noise. From January to May 1957 a Pratt and Whitney J57 engine was equipped with various shaped nozzles, as seen in this photograph, and run in simulated flight conditions in the Altitude Wind Tunnel. A number of nozzle configurations, including several multi-exit “organ pipe” designs, were created. It was found that the various nozzle types did reduce the noise levels, but they also reduced the aircraft’s thrust.

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. Noise Reduction

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. Noise Reduction

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. Noise Reduction

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. Noise Reduction

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. (microphone set up) Noise Reduction

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. Noise Reduction

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. Noise Reduction

OVERHEAD VIEW OF NOZZLE ACOUSTIC TEST RIG POWERED LIFT RIG AND ACTIVE NOISE CONTROL FAN

NORTHROP GRUMMAN NOISE REDUCTION TEST 1996 9X15 FOOT WIND TUNNEL ENTRY

MD-900 (N900MH) Helicopter Noise Abatement Test - Crows Landing, Microphones, Van and balloon blimp (wind indicator)

Ultra High Bypass Integrated System Test Testing of an Ultra High Bypass Ratio Turbofan model in the 9-by 15-Foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel. Pratt & Whitney designed the experimental engine to meet new efficiency and noise reduction targets for commercial aircraft set by NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration. The 9-by 15 tests analyzed two noise reduction technologies.

A Boeing B-47 Stratojet bomber with a noise-reducing ejector on its engine at the 1957 Inspection of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. Representatives from the military, aeronautical industry, universities, and the press were invited to the laboratory to be briefed on the NACA’s latest research efforts and tour the state- of- the- art test facilities. Over 1700 people visited the NACA Lewis in Cleveland, Ohio during October 7 - 10, 1957. By the mid-1950s, the aircraft industry was close to introducing jet airliners to the nation’s airways. The noise produced by the large jet engines, however, would pose a considerable problem for communities near airports. This problem was demonstrated at the 1957 Inspection by an NACA Lewis researcher who played longplay (LP) audio records of military jet engines for an audience. Tests showed that the source of the loudest noise was not the engine itself, but the mixing of the engine’s exhaust with the surrounding air in the atmosphere. The pressures resulting from this turbulence produced sound waves. One of Lewis’ first studies sought to design an exhaust nozzle that reduced the turbulence. A Pratt and Whitney J57 was tested in the Altitude Wind Tunnel with many of these nozzle configurations from January to May 1957. Researchers found that the various nozzle types did reduce the noise levels but also reduced the aircraft’s thrust. Afterwards, they determined that the addition of an NACA-developed ejector reduced the noise levels without diminishing thrust.

National Full Scale Aerodynamic Complex (NFAC) located at the NASA Ames Research Center 80x20ft. wind tunnel microphone array background noise test

Noise Accoustical Test Rig (NATR) Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) 85-AA-Constellation, Orion Capsule and nozzle on front of NATR

YO-3A during in flight rotorcraft acoustics program Distance Versus Noise Calibration test on BO-105 over Livermore - Central Valley, CA

Y0-3A (NASA-718) Quiet Plane and AH-1G (NASA-736) helicopter during noise abatement flight test at Crow Landing facility

Brent Miller, of the V/STOL and Noise Division at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center, poses with a sonic inlet for the NASA Quiet Engine Program. NASA Lewis had first investigated methods for reducing aircraft engine noise in the mid-1950s. Those efforts were resurrected and expanded in the late 1960s. The researchers found that the use of a sonic, or high-throat-Mach-number, inlet was effective at reducing the noise from the engine inlet. The device accelerated the inlet air to near-sonic speeds which kept the forward moving sound waves away from the inlet. The device also deflected the sound waves into the wall to further reduce the noise. NASA Lewis researchers tested models of the sonic inlet in their 9- by 15-Foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel. They found that the general level of aerodynamic performance was good. The tests during simulated takeoff and landing conditions demonstrated the sonic inlet’s ability to provide good aerodynamic and acoustic performance The researchers then successfully tested two full-scale sonic inlet designs, one from Pratt and Whitney and one from General Electric, with fans. A full-scale engine was installed on a thrust stand to determine the sonic inlet’s effect on the engine’s performance. The amount of noise reduction increased as the inlet flow velocity increased, but the full-scale tests did not produce as great a decrease in noise as the earlier small-scale tests.

Modern jet engines are loud, but they used to be much louder. NASA’s Glenn Research Center has been at the forefront of the nation’s efforts to reduce aircraft engine noise for over 70 years. During this time, the center has built an array of test facilities to carry out this work, culminating in the Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory (AAPL), a world-class noise-reduction research facility. The AAPL, referred to as “the dome,” contains multiple test rigs enclosed in a large, echo-free chamber. The unique 130-foot diameter and 65-foot-high hemispherical structure stands out on Glenn’s campus. Its triangular sections make it appear like a golf ball rising from the ground. The interior is covered in spiky, fiberglass sound-dampening wedges and an overhead array of microphones that capture engine noise data.

ISS034-E-038211 (1 Feb. 2013) --- Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield, Expedition 34 flight engineer, installs Ultra-Sonic Background Noise Tests (UBNT) sensors behind a rack in the Destiny laboratory, using the International Space Station (ISS) as Testbed for Analog Research (ISTAR) procedures. These sensors detect high frequency noise levels generated by ISS hardware and equipment operating within Destiny.

View of Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Chris Hadfield,Expedition 34 Flight Engineer (FE),installing Ultra-Sonic Background Noise Tests (UBNT) sensors behind rack in the U.S. Laboratory using the International Space Station (ISS) as Testbed for Analog Research (ISTAR) procedures. These sensors detect high frequency noise levels generated by ISS hardware and equipment operating within the U.S. Laboratory. Photo was taken during Expedition 34.

ISS034-E-030216 (16 Jan. 2013) --- NASA astronaut Kevin Ford, Expedition 34 commander, installs a Ultra-Sonic Background Noise Tests (UBNT) sensor kit behind a rack in the Destiny of the International Space Station.

ISS034-E-030218 (16 Jan. 2013) --- NASA astronaut Kevin Ford, Expedition 34 commander, installs a Ultra-Sonic Background Noise Tests (UBNT) sensor kit behind a rack in the Destiny of the International Space Station.

AST (Advanced Supersonic Technology) Propulsion Noise Research test on the F-15 model with nacelle in the 40x80ft Subsonic Wind Tunnel at Ames Research Center, Mt View, CA

The NASA C-140 JetStar research aircraft (top) is followed by a NASA Learjet equipped with acoustic sensors during one of several tests of advanced propellors mounted on the vertical pylon atop the JetStar's fuselage. Several advanced prop designs were tested on the JetStar in 1982 by NASA's Dryden Flight Research Facility (DFRF), Edwards, California, to study the effects of noise created by propellors on aircraft structures and cabin interiors. To assess possible noise problems with the subscale turbofan, DFRF technicians mounted microphones on both the JetStar and the Learjet chase plane. DFRF then made measurements at close range and at longer distances. The data enabled structural changes and flightpath modifications.

Claudia Sales, NASA’s acting X-59 deputy chief engineer and airworthiness certification lead for the quiet supersonic research aircraft, supports ground testing for Acoustic Research Measurements (ARM) flights. The test campaign to evaluate technologies that reduce aircraft noise was conducted at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, in 2018.

Pratt & Whitney Advanced Ducted Propulsor (ADP) Engine Test-590 in NASA Ames 40x80ft Subsonic Wind Tunnel. The Pratt & Whitney advanced ducted prop (ADP) demonstrator undergoing acoustic and fan performance testing. ADP technology could lead to decreased fuel consumption and noise.

Pratt & Whitney Advanced Ducted Propulsor (ADP) Engine Test-590 in the NASA Ames 40x80ft Subsonic Wind Tunnel. The Pratt & Whitney Advanced Ducted Prop (ADP) demonstrator undergoing acoustic and fan performance testing. ADP technology could lead to decreased fuel consumption and noise.

A Lockheed F-94B Starfire being equipped with an audio recording machine and sensors at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. The NACA was investigating the acoustic effects caused by the engine’s nozzle and the air flowing along the fuselage. Airline manufacturers would soon be introducing jet engines on their passenger aircraft, and there was concern regarding the noise levels for both the passengers and public on the ground. NACA Lewis conducted a variety of noise reduction studies in its wind tunnels, laboratories, and on a F2H-2B Banshee aircraft. The F2H-2B Banshee’s initial test flights in 1955 and 1956 measured the noise emanating directly from airflow over the aircraft’s surfaces, particularly the wings. This problem was particularly pronounced at high subsonic speeds. The researchers found the majority of the noise occurred in the low and middle octaves. These investigations were enhanced with a series of flights using the F-94B Starfire. The missions measured wall-pressure, turbulence fluctuations, and mean velocity profiles. Mach 0.3 to 0.8 flights were flown at altitudes of 10,000, 20,000, and 30,000 feet with microphones mounted near the forward fuselage and on a wing. The results substantiated the wind tunnel findings. This photograph shows the tape recorder being installed in the F-94B’s nose.

BO-105 helicopter pilot & cockpit during in flight rotorcraft acoustics program Distance Versus Noise Calibration over Livermore - Central Valley, CA. The YO-3A flying the acoustics test can just be seen through cockpit window.

ISS034-E-037330 (31 Jan. 2013) --- Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield, Expedition 34 flight engineer, installs a Ultra-Sonic Background Noise Tests (UBNT) sensor kit behind a rack in the Destiny of the International Space Station.

The Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory (AAPL) photographed on October 24, 2024 as seen from above. This facility provides world class testing for aircraft propulsion acoustic noise reduction and is 65 ft high by 130 ft in diameter. Photo Credit: (NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna)

A Republic F-84 Thunderjet dramatically modified at the NASA Lewis Research Center to investigate the use of slotted nozzles to reduce exhaust noise. The F-84 was a single-seat fighter-bomber powered by an Allison J35 turbojet. It was the Air Force’s first post-World War II tactical aircraft and was used extensively in the Korean War. The laboratory had acquired the aircraft in 1954 and modified it in order to demonstrate the reverse thruster. The tail end of the aircraft was then removed for a series of large nozzle investigations. Lewis researchers launched an extensive program in the mid-1950s to develop methods of reducing engine noise as the airline industry was preparing to introduce the first turbojet-powered passenger aircraft. The early NACA investigations determined that the primary source of noise was the mixing of the engine’s hot exhaust with the cool surrounding air. Lewis researchers studied many different nozzles designed to facilitate this mixing. Nozzles with elongated exit sections, as seen in this photograph, produced lower noise levels. These long slot nozzles were also considered for Short Take-off and Landing aircraft because their long flat surfaces provided lift. In 1958 Lewis tested several full-scale slot nozzles on the F-84. The researchers, led by Willard Cole, sought to determine the noise-generation characteristics for nozzles having large a width-to-height ratio. The nozzle in this photograph has a 100 to 1 width-to-height ratio. Cole determined that the experimental nozzles produced the same levels of sound as the standard nozzle, but the changes in the directional noise were substantial.

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft completed its first maximum afterburner test at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California. This full-power test, during which the engine generates additional thrust, validates the additional power needed for meeting the testing conditions of the aircraft. The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to overcome a major barrier to supersonic flight over land by reducing the noise of sonic booms.

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft completed its first maximum afterburner test at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California. This full-power test, during which the engine generates additional thrust, validates the additional power needed for meeting the testing conditions of the aircraft. The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to overcome a major barrier to supersonic flight over land by reducing the noise of sonic booms.

Title: W-8 Fan Acoustic Casing Treatment Test on the Source Diagnostic Test Rotor Alone Hardware Program: Advanced Air Vehicles Program (AAVP) Project: Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) Sub-project: Aircraft Noise Reduction (ANR)   Weekly Highlight: ·         Acoustic Casing Treatment Testing Completed in the W-8 Single Stage Axial Compressor Facility: Testing of Acoustic Casing Treatments on the Source Diagnostic Test (SDT) rotor alone hardware which had begun in early January was completed on Thursday, February 16th. Four different over-the-rotor acoustic casing treatment concepts were tested along with two baseline configurations. Testing included steady-aerodynamic measurements of fan performance, hotfilm turbulence measurements, and inlet acoustic measurements with an in-duct array. These measurements will be used to assess the aerodynamic and acoustic impact of fan acoustic casing treatments on a high bypass ratio fan at TRL 3. This test was the last of 3 planned tests of potential over-the-rotor acoustic casing treatments. The first treatment test was completed in the Normal Incidence Tube (NIT) at Langley Research Center (LaRC) in Fall 2015 and the second was completed on the Advanced Noise Control Fan (ANCF) in the Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory (AAPL) in Winter 2016. This work is supported by the Aircraft Noise Reduction (ANR) subproject of the Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) Project. (POC: LTV/ Rick Bozak 3-5160)

iss060e033640 (8/12/2019) --- iss060e033656 (Aug. 12, 2019) --- European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Luca Parmitano participates in a hearing test aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Acoustic Upgraded Diagnostics In-Orbit (Acoustic Diagnostics) investigation tests the hearing of ISS crew members before, during, and after flight. This study assesses the possible adverse effects of noise and the microgravity environment aboard the ISS on human hearing.

The 8- by 6-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory was the largest supersonic wind tunnel in the nation at the time and the only one able to test full-scale engines at supersonic speeds. The 8- by 6 was designed as a non-return and open-throat tunnel. A large compressor created the air flow at one end of the tunnel, squeezed the flow to increase its velocity just before the test section, then reduced the velocity, and expelled it into the atmosphere at the other end of the tunnel. This design worked well for initial aerodynamic testing, but the local community was literally rattled by the noise and vibrations when researchers began running engines in the test section in January 1950. The NACA’s most modern wind tunnel was referred to as “an 87,000-horsepower bugle aimed at the heart of Cleveland.” NACA Lewis responded to the complaints by adding an acoustic housing at the end of the tunnel to dampen the noise. The structure included resonator chambers and a reinforced concrete muffler structure. Modifications continued over the years. A return leg was added, and a second test section, 9 -by 15-foot, was incorporated in the return leg in the 1960s. Since its initial operation in 1948, the 8- by 6-foot tunnel has been aggressively used to support the nation's aeronautics and space programs for the military, industry, and academia.

Pratt & Whitney Advanced Ducted Propulsor (ADP) Engine Test-590 in NASA Ames 40x80ft Subsonic Wind Tunnel. The Pratt & Whitney advanced ducted prop (ADP) demonstrator undergoing acoustic and fan performance testing. ADP technology could lead to decreased fuel consumption and noise. Shown here are NASA Ames engineers Peter Zell (left) and Dr Clifton Horne (right) preparing for a laser light sheet for a flow visualization test. Shown standing in the nacelle of the ADP is John Girvin, senior test engineer for Pratt & Whitney.

Pratt & Whitney Advanced Ducted Propulsor (ADP) Engine Test-590 in NASA Ames 40x80ft Subsonic Wind Tunnel. The Pratt & Whitney advanced ducted prop (ADP) demonstrator undergoing acoustic and fan performance testing. ADP technology could lead to decreased fuel consumption and noise. Shown here are NASA Ames engineers Peter Zell (left) and Dr Clifton Horne (right) preparing for a laser light sheet for a flow visualization test. Shown standing in the nacelle of the ADP is John Girvin, senior test engineer for Pratt & Whitney.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Convair F-106B Delta Dart with a 32-spoke nozzle installed on its General Electric J85 test engine. Lewis acquired a Delta Dart fighter in 1966 to study the components for propulsion systems that could be applied to supersonic transport aircraft at transonic speeds. The F-106B was modified with two General Electric J85-13 engines under its wings to study these components. The original test plan was expanded to include the study of boattail drag, noise reduction, and inlets. From February to July 1971 the modified F-106B was used to study different ejector nozzles. Researchers conducted both acoustic and aerodynamic tests on the ground and in flight. Several models were created to test different suppression methods. NASA Lewis’ conical nozzle was used as the baseline configuration. Flightline and sideline microphones were set up on the ground. The F-106B would idle its own engine and buzz the recording station from an altitude of 300 feet at Mach 0.4 with the test engines firing. Researchers found that the suppression of the perceived noise level was usually lower during flight than the researchers had statistically predicted. The 64 and 32-spoke nozzles performed well in actual flight, but the others nozzles tended to negatively affect the engine’s performance. Different speeds or angles- -of-attack sometimes changed the noise levels. In the end, no general conclusions could be applied to all the nozzles.

Program manager Carl Ciepluch poses with a model of the Quiet Clean Short Haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE) conceived by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center. The QCSEE engine was designed to power future short-distance transport aircraft without generating significant levels of noise or pollution and without hindering performance. The engines were designed to be utilized on aircraft operating from small airports with short runways. Lewis researchers investigated two powered-lift designs and an array of new technologies to deal with the shorter runways. Lewis contracted General Electric to design the two QCSEE engines—one with over-the-wing power-lift and one with an under-the-wing design. A scale model of the over-the-wing engine was tested in the Full Scale Tunnel at the Langley Research Center in 1975 and 1976. Lewis researchers investigated both versions in a specially-designed test stand, the Engine Noise Test Facility, on the hangar apron. The QCSEE engines met the goals set out by the NASA researchers. The aircraft industry, however, never built the short-distance transport aircraft for which the engines were intended. Different technological elements of the engine, however, were applied to some future General Electric engines.

The Dryden C-140 JetStar during testing of advanced propfan designs. Dryden conducted flight research in 1981-1982 on several designs. The technology was developed under the direction of the Lewis Research Center (today the Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH) under the Advanced Turboprop Program. Under that program, Langley Research Center in Virginia oversaw work on accoustics and noise reduction. These efforts were intended to develop a high-speed and fuel-efficient turboprop system.

The Quiet Electric Engine V1 (QUEEN V1) experiment that was performed in the NASA GRC Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). Equipment is installed in the anechoic chamber and in the adjacent control room. In response to the pervasive health and environmental problems associated with aviation noise and air pollution, NASA’s Quiet Electric Engine (QUEEN) team is working to increase the peace and quiet in the world by researching ways to make engines for large single-aisle aircraft safer, cleaner, and quieter.

The Quiet Electric Engine V1 (QUEEN V1) experiment that was performed in the NASA GRC Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). Equipment is installed in the anechoic chamber and in the adjacent control room. In response to the pervasive health and environmental problems associated with aviation noise and air pollution, NASA’s Quiet Electric Engine (QUEEN) team is working to increase the peace and quiet in the world by researching ways to make engines for large single-aisle aircraft safer, cleaner, and quieter.

The Quiet Electric Engine V1 (QUEEN V1) experiment that was performed in the NASA GRC Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). Equipment is installed in the anechoic chamber and in the adjacent control room. In response to the pervasive health and environmental problems associated with aviation noise and air pollution, NASA’s Quiet Electric Engine (QUEEN) team is working to increase the peace and quiet in the world by researching ways to make engines for large single-aisle aircraft safer, cleaner, and quieter.

The Quiet Electric Engine V1 (QUEEN V1) experiment that was performed in the NASA GRC Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). Equipment is installed in the anechoic chamber and in the adjacent control room. In response to the pervasive health and environmental problems associated with aviation noise and air pollution, NASA’s Quiet Electric Engine (QUEEN) team is working to increase the peace and quiet in the world by researching ways to make engines for large single-aisle aircraft safer, cleaner, and quieter.

The Quiet Electric Engine V1 (QUEEN V1) experiment that was performed in the NASA GRC Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). Equipment is installed in the anechoic chamber and in the adjacent control room. In response to the pervasive health and environmental problems associated with aviation noise and air pollution, NASA’s Quiet Electric Engine (QUEEN) team is working to increase the peace and quiet in the world by researching ways to make engines for large single-aisle aircraft safer, cleaner, and quieter.

The Quiet Electric Engine V1 (QUEEN V1) experiment that was performed in the NASA GRC Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). Equipment is installed in the anechoic chamber and in the adjacent control room. In response to the pervasive health and environmental problems associated with aviation noise and air pollution, NASA’s Quiet Electric Engine (QUEEN) team is working to increase the peace and quiet in the world by researching ways to make engines for large single-aisle aircraft safer, cleaner, and quieter. Posing with the experiment is aerospace engineer, Jonathan M. Goodman.

A refanned Pratt and Whitney JT-8D-109 turbofan engine installed in Cell 4 of the Propulsion Systems Laboratory at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center. NASA Lewis’ Refan Program sought to demonstrate that noise reduction modifications could be applied to existing aircraft engines with minimal costs and without diminishing the engine’s performance or integrity. At the time, Pratt and Whitney’s JT-8D turbofans were one of the most widely used engines in the commercial airline industry. The engines powered Boeing’s 727 and 737 and McDonnell Douglas’ DC-9 aircraft. Pratt and Whitney worked with the airline manufacturers on a preliminary study that verified feasibility of replacing the JT-8D’s two-stage fan with a larger single-stage fan. The new fan slowed the engine’s exhaust, which significantly reduced the amount of noise it generated. Booster stages were added to maintain the proper level of airflow through the engine. Pratt and Whitney produced six of the modified engines, designated JT-8D-109, and performed the initial testing. One of the JT-8D-109 engines, seen here, was tested in simulated altitude conditions in NASA Lewis’ Propulsion Systems Laboratory. The Refan engine was ground-tested on an actual aircraft before making a series of flight tests on 727 and DC-9 aircraft in early 1976. The Refan Program reduced the JT-8D’s noise by 50 percent while increasing the fuel efficiency. The retro-fit kits were estimated to cost between $1 million and $1.7 million per aircraft.

Boeing Phantom Works' subscale Blended Wing Body technology demonstration aircraft began its initial flight tests from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. in the summer of 2007. The 8.5 percent dynamically scaled unmanned aircraft, designated the X-48B by the Air Force, is designed to mimic the aerodynamic characteristics of a full-scale large cargo transport aircraft with the same blended wing body shape. The initial flight tests focused on evaluation of the X-48B's low-speed flight characteristics and handling qualities. About 25 flights were planned to gather data in these low-speed flight regimes. Based on the results of the initial flight test series, a second set of flight tests was planned to test the aircraft's low-noise and handling characteristics at transonic speeds.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA’s X-57 Maxwell, the agency’s first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft’s cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57’s goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA’s X-57 Maxwell, the agency’s first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft’s cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57’s goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA’s X-57 Maxwell, the agency’s first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft’s cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57’s goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA’s X-57 Maxwell, the agency’s first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft’s cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57’s goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA’s X-57 Maxwell, the agency’s first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft’s cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57’s goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA’s X-57 Maxwell, the agency’s first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft’s cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57’s goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA's X-57 Maxwell, the agency's first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft's cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57's goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

NASA’s X-57 Maxwell, the agency’s first all-electric X-plane and first crewed X-planed in two decades, is delivered to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California in its Mod II configuration. The first of three primary modifications for the project, Mod II involves testing of the aircraft’s cruise electric propulsion system. Delivery to NASA from prime contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace of San Luis Obispo, California, marks a major milestone for the project, at which point the vehicle is reintegrated for ground tests, to be followed by taxi tests, and eventually, flight tests. X-57’s goal is to further advance the design and airworthiness process for distributed electric propulsion technology for general aviation aircraft, which can provide multiple benefits to efficiency, emissions, and noise.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.

Notice anything different about the wings on this airliner? This conceptual truss-braced wing narrowbody is an aircraft with a 170ft span folding wing. By utilizing trusses, the aircraft can have longer, thinner wings with greater aspect ratios. This, in turn, translates into less drag and 5-10% less fuel burned. The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft originated from a joint effort by NASA and Boeing to develop subsonic commercial transport concepts – meeting NASA-defined metrics in terms of reduced noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. The design is currently undergoing wind tunnel testing and other studies by NASA researchers.