UK organisation takes over NASA's role in development of flying wing as manufacturer also unwraps Pelican concept

Boeing and Cranfield Aerospace, the commercial arm of Cranfield University, are working together to build a 17%-scale flying demonstrator of the blended wing body (BWB) flying-wing transport.

The UK-based organisation is taking over the role from NASA following the axing of the latter's revolutionary concepts (REVCON) programme. The scaled version was originally configured with a 6.5m (21ft) span, but "will probably be slightly increased up to 30ft, though that's in review", says George Muellner, former president of Boeing's Phantom Works, and recently appointed vice-president of Boeing air force programmes.

The BWB model is expected to fly in early 2004, with tests scheduled to take place in the UK and USA. Muellner adds that US tests could take place at either Edwards AFB or the nearby China Lake US Navy test site in California. "We also want to put the vehicle in one of the large windtunnels at NASA Langley or Ames," he adds.

Unlike the twin-engined conceptual versions portrayed to date, the Cranfield BWB will be fitted with three small engines, although this simply reflects the availability of suitable powerplants, adds Boeing. The platform has also changed slightly and now incorporates a cranked-arrow leading edge to enable the full-scale version to reach higher cruise speeds around Mach 0.92. "The final configuration will be fixed within 90 days," adds Muellner. The outboard wing sections also have a higher aspect ratio than earlier proposals.

Boeing has also unveiled long- term conceptual studies of a massive wing-in-ground-effect vehicle dubbed the Pelican - named due to its similarity to the sea-skimming bird. Unlike Ekranoplan experimental vehicles built in the former Soviet Union, the Pelican concept is being designed to operate at relatively higher altitudes of 2,000- 3,000ft. The payload for the vehicle, which is being studied with the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is theoretically up to 2,700t. Baseline concept studies could begin within five years, although service entry of the flying container ship would not be for at least 20 years, adds Boeing.

Source: Flight International