Boeing Flies Blended Wing Body Research Aircraft

"Phil" wrote

Imagine if an
airline started flying an airplane with twice as much legroom, more
aisles, and wider seats. Maybe even seats that really recline. And
at a lower cost. Let's say 5 or 10 percent lower. I bet they would
fill those planes on most flights. Wouldn't you be willing to pay
less to get more?

Nope.

While I realize space is cramped on airplanes, I find the space allotted
quite bearable.

I get on a airliner for one reason; to get where I want to go a long
distance away, quickly, and cheaply.

Cram me in, and let me spend the extra saved money, the way I want to, at
the other end.
--
Jim in NC

On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 20:04:55 -0700, Phil wrote
in om:

It could be banked more slowly to mitigate that, especially if it had
fly-by-wire controls. And people experience those same feelings now
in turbulence anyway.

Exactly.

I suspect that if you were to offer people a
more roomy plane with a lower ticket price, you would get lots of
takers. I hate flying stuffed in like a sardine in a can. A blended
body aircraft could have more room for passengers. Imagine if an
airline started flying an airplane with twice as much legroom, more
aisles, and wider seats. Maybe even seats that really recline. And
at a lower cost. Let's say 5 or 10 percent lower. I bet they would
fill those planes on most flights. Wouldn't you be willing to pay
less to get more?

While I couldn't agree more about offensively cramped airline seating,
I can see how completive forces in the marketplace will force all air
carriers to increase seating density just as soon as the first
cut-rate operator equips his fleet with more seats to undercut his
competition. Cutting services, instead of increasing operating
efficiency, as a means of lowering costs is an easy method of
successfully increasing an enterprise's market share; consumers are
always looking for a 'deal.'

One of the 'features' of laissez-faire capitalism is its ability to
strip away non-essential amenities in the relentless quest to meet the
challenges mounted by competitors. Once the regular-rate, as opposed
to the cut-rate, airlines passenger volume is siphoned off by the
cheap-seats operators, it becomes impossible them to continue to offer
attractive frills and comforts like leg-room, blankets, meals, ...

"Morgans" wrote in message


I would fly in one, if you put a viewscreen in front of my seat,
linked with cameras outside to choose from. That is what I had heard
they said would be the arrangement.

What about an LCD screen mimicking a modern airliner window showing the view
to the sides, as well...?

--
John T
http://sage1solutions.com/blogs/TknoFlyer
http://sage1solutions.com/products
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On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 19:38:06 GMT, Dallas
wrote in
:


Photo of the test model:

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/1..._boeing_hi.jpg

Nice plan-view. I'd like to see a frontal view as well.

Being that this prototype is flying at Dryden, is Boeing funding this
research? Or are we?

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message


Being that this prototype is flying at Dryden, is Boeing funding this
research? Or are we?

I get the impression it's a bit of both. Two things I took particular note
of in the OP a

1) "Along with hosting the X-48B flight test and research
activities, NASA Dryden provided engineering and technical support..."

2) The two X-48B research vehicles were built by Cranfield Aerospace
Ltd., in the United Kingdom, in accordance with Boeing requirements.

If they truly are Boeing requirements, then Boeing is definitely fronting
some money. However, NASA obviously has skin in the game with their
"engineering and technical support".

I found it curious the vehicles were built in the UK. Do Boeing not have the
capacity to build them at home?

--
John T
http://sage1solutions.com/blogs/TknoFlyer
http://sage1solutions.com/products
NEW! FlyteBalance v2.0 (W&B); FlyteLog v2.0 (Logbook)
____________________