Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

2nickels t1_iwf5ul7 wrote

I'm a (admittingly old) aerospace guy and I just can't see this becoming a thing.

Delta wings are super cool and have a lot of benefits but inherent safety isn't one of them.

Modern commercial jets as we know them are inherently stable and a LOT has to go wrong before they stop flying.

Delta designs are kind of always barely flying and rely a lot on stability augmentation for optimized flight.

24

Quasigriz_ t1_iwf9hoh wrote

Having seen some of this lifting body designs some 10-15 years ago (I think the Boeing had the 3 engines mounted on top) all I can think of is turbulence generated by departing/landing planes. The A380 requires two landing slots and I think these planes would need the same.

7

Semi-Hemi-Demigod t1_iwh7tae wrote

One problem I've had with these lifting-body airliners is that the seats further from the centerline of the plane would be awful during banking.

3

MightyH20 t1_iwhk9o7 wrote

They flew a prototype and was remarkably stable and efficient.

A prototype of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines' futuristic-looking flying-wing aircraft just took its first flight in Germany — take a look at the Flying-V

2

2nickels t1_iwhx5bi wrote

Flying wings are nothing new. Are they remarkably efficient? Yes. Remarkably stable? Maybe, but not without tons of help.

There’s a lot of flying wing shapes holes in the desert from failed flying wing designs.

2