Boeing Advances Sustainable Flight with X-66A Aircraft for NASA’s TTBW Testing
NASA and Boeing unveiled the new X-66A livery at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. (Image: Boeing)
Boeing has successfully transported an MD-90 airplane to the designated site for its transformation into the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) configuration, a crucial step in NASA’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project. The company commemorated this significant milestone by sharing images of the jet’s journey from Victorville, Calif., to Palmdale, where Boeing, NASA, and community leaders gathered to acknowledge the achievement.
The X-66A aircraft is NASA‘s inaugural experimental plane specifically designed to contribute to the United States’ ambition of achieving net-zero aviation greenhouse gas emissions. The forthcoming modifications to the aircraft will initiate soon, with ground and flight tests anticipated to commence in 2028.
Boeing Chief Technology Officer Todd Citron highlighted the milestone’s importance, stating, “This marks an important step in the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project, advances Boeing’s commitment to sustainability and brings us closer to testing and validating the TTBW design.”
The innovative TTBW design incorporates ultrathin wings supported by struts with larger spans and higher-aspect ratios. The application of the TTBW design, combined with anticipated technological advancements, has the potential to yield up to a 30% reduction in fuel consumption and emissions. Boeing and NASA have been collaboratively exploring this concept for over a decade through the Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research (SUGAR) Program.
NASA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs in the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, Ed Waggoner, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration: “We at NASA are excited to be working with Boeing on the X-66A Sustainable Flight Demonstrator making critical contributions to accelerate aviation towards its 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emission goal.”
Congressman Mike Garcia (CA-27) praised the project’s location, stating, “Aerospace Valley has a long and distinguished history as the cradle of aerospace innovation, and this unveiling is a continuation of that critical work. Palmdale’s talented workforce and infrastructure make it the perfect location for this important project.”
Boeing’s efforts with the X-66A exemplify the company’s commitment to pushing aviation technology forward, ensuring a more sustainable and eco-friendly future.
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, boeing.mediaroom.com