At the bottom of Page 82 of Airbus' Global Market Forecast are three interesting concepts for the European airframer's next generation narrowbody concept. The A30X is now not expected for another 15 years, but the concepts provide an interesting glimpse into the potential for non-conventional concepts that could define the replacement of the A320 family. Rear mounted engines seem to be in the imagination of the company's engineers, with options for both ducted and unducted configuration, as well as a Sonic Cruiser style model, presumably for long range operations.
Radically pushing the envelope of new aircraft configurations will invariable run into interesting challenges for airline operations and airport layouts. This, of course, will be an interesting one to watch.
Hat tip to Keesje for the spot
Radically pushing the envelope of new aircraft configurations will invariable run into interesting challenges for airline operations and airport layouts. This, of course, will be an interesting one to watch.
Hat tip to Keesje for the spot
on September 18, 2009 4:21 PM | Reply
Scotty beam me up!
on September 18, 2009 4:40 PM | Reply
SubSonic Cruiser?
on September 18, 2009 5:29 PM | Reply
I don't know if this is the best idea for Airbus. All the other next generation narrowbodies - CSeries, MS-21, Superjet, C919, ARJ21, etc, are conventional looking/functioning aircraft. Boeing has stated that Y1 will pretty much be a down-scaled 787. If Airbus was smart they'd go with the pack on this one. This thing won't mix well with a fleet of conventional aircraft.
KISS - Airbus had another concept a while back that looked a lot like a re-winged/re-engined A320. If they were smart, this would be the best route to go in this situation.
on September 18, 2009 5:32 PM | Reply
Interesting to see the third design (the bottom one) still has Airbus style wing-fences opposed to winglets or raked wingtips.
on September 18, 2009 7:13 PM | Reply
Designers love to have things sticking out of wings,fuselages, etc. My vote is that the config will have the least amout of stuff sticking out. in my opinion the next big thing to come after winglets (OK, one thing that sticks out that airlines like!!) will be a flying wing type, oh sorry, Blended Wing Body, design
on September 19, 2009 3:29 AM | Reply
The biggest problem with all these fancy pipedreams is how do you do a stretch or shrink on the basic plane?
on September 19, 2009 5:55 AM | Reply
Subsonic loser?
on September 19, 2009 11:47 AM | Reply
The A30X is now expected for another 15 years ? John Leahy is a salesman. And a pretty good one. He may tell the truth... or maybe not.
If an A30X should fly in 2020, his target is therefor to sell A320 until 2019. His declaration about 2024 ? So brilliant !
on September 19, 2009 1:57 PM | Reply
This design iteration has been floating around for a while. (Jets or Unducted fans mounted over the tail)
I think this design is non-certifiable. An uncontained engine failure, or a failure of the unducted fan, will almost certainly take out the remaining engine and possibly portions of the empennage and its flight control surfaces.
Until an unducted fan that has blades made from impervium is available, I don't see this airplane moving paying passengers around.
on September 20, 2009 9:08 AM | Reply
Hamburg can wait another 15 years before getting the jobs related to A320 replacement.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/08/10/330777/a320-successor-to-be-assembled-entirely-in-hamburg.html
on September 20, 2009 6:19 PM | Reply
one of them reminds me of the A-10 Thunderbolt
on September 21, 2009 6:17 AM | Reply
The airlies want a step change in operating efficiency for the next generation of single aisle aircraft. That is not going to happen with current aircraft and engine designs. Even GTF engines will not be able to deliver the step changes required. So nothing is discounted yet regards future configurations, anything is yet possible.
on September 21, 2009 8:19 AM | Reply
Airlines don't need fancy technology
http://verovenia.wordpress.com/2009/09/20/not-so-strategic-part-2/
on September 23, 2009 11:59 PM | Reply
The two high-engine designs are evocative of Beriev flying boats.
on December 6, 2009 6:55 PM | Reply
Open rotors is like stepping back in time to propellers. With open rotors there is too much uncontained airflow spill-off from the blades.