On Tuesday, The European aircraft manufacturer Airbus presented a model of its new commercial aircraft, named MAVERIC (Model Aircraft for Validation and Experimentation of Robust Innovative Controls), designed to reduce fuel consumption by up to 20%. This aircraft demonstrator of two meters long and 3.2 meters wide, with an area of 2.25 square meters, was unveiled at Singapore Air Show 2020.
The MAVERIC is more like a delta wing, an aircraft model based on a single wing in an isosceles triangle. It features an innovative “Blended Wing Body (BWB)” aircraft design, which has the potential to reduce fuel consumption by up to 20% compared to current single-aisle models with the same engine. Since airplanes are currently one of the biggest environmental sins in the world, even fifth fewer pollutant emissions make a difference.
The new construction of the inner body promises a completely new flight experience in a passenger compartment that is no longer tubular. The pilot cabin and the passenger compartment would all be included inside this gigantic wing. The model will accommodate 200 travelers or the current capacity of an Airbus A320.
In addition, because passengers would be located far from the center of the aircraft, unlike the current model of ”tube and wings”, the feeling of movement could be greater for passengers at each turn of the plane.
The engines are installed in the rear part above the fuselage, and they have keels with rudders. Also, the manufacturer certifies that a Maveric would be lighter and less bulky. Besides, the noise is expected to be significantly reduced thanks to a “shielded” engine that is mounted above the central body.
If it becomes a reality, it will be one of those planes that will attract attention both when flying and at airports. The pictures say it all.
“Airbus is leveraging emerging technologies to pioneer the future of flight. By testing disruptive aircraft configurations, Airbus is able to evaluate their potential as viable future products,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, EVP of Engineering Airbus. “Although there is no specific timeline for entry-into-service, this technological demonstrator could be instrumental in bringing about change in commercial aircraft architectures for an environmentally sustainable future for the aviation industry.“
The small prototype presented in Singapore in 2017 already took off to the skies in June 2019 in central France. Since then, it has been undergoing tests, which will continue until the end of the second quarter of 2020.