X-48C Blended Wing Body

Coming soon..............................
Probably not something that will be used for commercial passengers (poor emergency egress) but would do well in the freight business.

(Public domain link)
http://www.boeing.com/Features/2012/08/corp_x48_08_07_12.html
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Really great to see that model fly so well. Fifteen years ago when I was at Boeing they were studying that concept but were stumped at how to control pitch oscillation at high speeds. Computers have solved that problem, I guess, and it appears that the BWB will forge ahead. It could be a giant leap ahead in certain applications as Spasso mentioned.

 

I thought the passenger issues were lacking of windows apart from EGRESS, I can think of a few ways to do it but at the penalty of weight.

As for cargo it would require some strange specialized containers due to the cross section shape either that or there would be a lot of unused space.

Which leads me to believe this would be a perfect platform to start replacing the aging B-52s which BTW to my knowledge have no replacement plans on the drawing board.

 

It somehow reminds me a little of the failed 2001 Sonic Cruiser.

 

Only in basic shape.
The Cruiser actually employed a tube type fuselage and less of a blended wing/body.
A distinct wing was aft mounted with canards up front
The mission is different and the cruise would be slower.

 

Just some thoughts,
* Most passengers don't sit next to windows and are pre-occupied with movies, games, reading or sleeping anyway. It's moot anyway due to the next paragraph.

* My reference to EGRESS was directed to emergency escape, not everyday loading and unloading. The big problem that arises with the blended design is an acceptable emergency escape configuration that would satisfy the FAA requirements.
They haven't found the answer to that YET in any of the blended designs hence it's proposed use for military or freight only..

* The cross section will be much wider than what you could fit in a standard tube (plus two deck depth). They should be able to double the rows of containers on the main deck. Whether they have to design some "special" ones for the outer rows depends on the internal dimensions.
The "wasted" space outside of that can be used for fuel, lots of it, for non-stop, point-to-point, anywhere in the world.

A top view would give a better picture of just how wide the usable space can be.

 

Windows are more of a thing to curb anxiety than anything. Putting someone in a box for eight hours and doing a lot of moving around would cause a natural panic state. Not good. Especially when handing out sporks.

 

Good point.
Most seat back screens afford views to the outside through various cameras on the plane but it wouldn't be the same thing.

Another issue against using a blended W/B for passenger use is the ride quality itself.
No big deal for people sitting close to the longitudinal axis but the further out to the sides you go, the more pronounced any lateral pitches would be, much like riding the ups and downs of a roller coaster.

For me it would be no big deal but I would think for the general public who expect a relatively flat and stable ride, it would be unacceptable