On Monday 16 October, Bombardier unveiled exclusive images of its EcoJet research project’s second test phase. Sharing the update at NBAA-BACE 2023 in Las Vegas, the company said promising flight tests were conducted with an 18-foot-wide demonstrator which generated important results.
Bombardier’s EcoJet is a sustainability-focused research and technology initiative. The EcoJet project, which started 15 years ago, aims to reduce aircraft emissions by up to 50% through aerodynamic, propulsion and other enhancements.
This project now comprises of a family of Blended Wing Body (BWB) test vehicles. Flight tests are being conducted to develop and mature relevant technologies with data analysis gathered from the 18-foot-wide prototype allowing the aircraft manufacturer’s engineering team to perfect its knowledge of new aviation control laws that are adapted to the radically different BWB geometry, the company says.
Stephen McCullough, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Product Development commented: “Our engineers are eager to start working with the results yielded by this second phase of the flight test programme.
“Building on the significant data drawn from the initial flight-testing phase, and now leveraging a model twice as large as the first prototype, we can further refine our analysis. With each additional experimental stage, we are paving the way for more sustainable aircraft designs and new technologies.’’
