Boeing has revealed the first significant design details of the three alternative Sonic Cruiser studies and the conventional Super Efficient aircraft that are among the final choices for its 250-seater development.
The Super Efficient aircraft resembles a shortened hybrid of a 777-200 and 767-400. Configured with a circular fuselage cross-section wider than the 767, the aircraft will incorporate very high bypass ratio engines, raked wingtips and simplified wing trailing edges. Many technologies considered for the Sonic Cruiser could be used, possibly including titanium-carbon structures and composite skin stringers.
The three final Sonic Cruiser design studies comprise the baseline aft-wing, canard-configured aircraft which is Mach 2 capable, and two mid-wing designs. The aft-wing design is made mostly from advanced composites. The two mid-wing studies have conventional empennages and feature area ruling. The faster M2 capable version has engines mounted on the wing trailing edge. The slower design, only capable of M1, is more profoundly area-ruled with higher fineness-ratio engine nacelles mounted on pylons on the leading edge.
Source: Flight International
