Quiet Airliners of the Future?

A new generation of barely audible, fuel-efficient passenger
aircraft described as "flying wings" with "virtual windows"
could arrive in two decades, engineers from Britain's Cambridge
University said. "The noise level we're looking for would be to
take it below the background noise that people experience
outside airports ... below traffic noise levels," said Paul
Collins, a mechanical engineer with the "Silent Aircraft
Initiative." It will be 20 years or more before the concept,
which looks more like the U.S. military's B-2 Stealth Bomber
than a jumbo jet, could enter service. But a noise reduction
approach that goes beyond the aircraft's frame and engines
means there could be benefits much sooner for those living
beneath flight paths. Working with air-traffic controllers, the
researchers hope they can begin flight tests with conventional
aircraft as early as next year to look at a new, steeper
landing approach that would limit the amount of time planes
spend at low altitudes. The scientists hope that, with oil
prices at record highs, their new designs will make economic as
well as environmental sense. For a list of companies backing the
project, click the "More..." link.
(Reuters 11:13 AM ET 09/09/2005)

Mo
http://q1.schwab.com/s/r?l=248&a=112...a&s=rb050 909

The way the airlines are running their businesses now days I suspect we will
be seeing quite a large number of "quiet airliners" in much less that 20
years. Of course getting somewhere in them might be a challenge.


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
news



A new generation of barely audible, fuel-efficient passenger
aircraft described as "flying wings" with "virtual windows"
could arrive in two decades, engineers from Britain's Cambridge
University said. "The noise level we're looking for would be to
take it below the background noise that people experience
outside airports ... below traffic noise levels," said Paul
Collins, a mechanical engineer with the "Silent Aircraft
Initiative." It will be 20 years or more before the concept,
which looks more like the U.S. military's B-2 Stealth Bomber
than a jumbo jet, could enter service. But a noise reduction
approach that goes beyond the aircraft's frame and engines
means there could be benefits much sooner for those living
beneath flight paths. Working with air-traffic controllers, the
researchers hope they can begin flight tests with conventional
aircraft as early as next year to look at a new, steeper
landing approach that would limit the amount of time planes
spend at low altitudes. The scientists hope that, with oil
prices at record highs, their new designs will make economic as
well as environmental sense. For a list of companies backing the
project, click the "More..." link.
(Reuters 11:13 AM ET 09/09/2005)

Mo

http://q1.schwab.com/s/r?l=248&a=112...a&s=rb050 909

There's been a lot of work over the years at Boeing on the Blended Wing
Body, I wonder if this is the same airplane, just retasked as a quiet
plane as well as a fuel efficient/large one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blended_Wing_Body
http://funimg.pchome.com.tw/img_uplo....tw_230558.jpg

On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 21:58:24 GMT, "Dave Stadt"
wrote in ::

The way the airlines are running their businesses now days I suspect we will
be seeing quite a large number of "quiet airliners" in much less that 20
years.

How are airlines running their businesses now days?

The trend toward quieter aircraft is welcome by all. Helos are
substantially quieter than they were in the '70s, and today's airliner
compared with 4-engined B-707s of that era are too.

Of course getting somewhere in them might be a challenge.

What makes you say that, the extent to which security measures will
have escalated by the time these aircraft are in production? Or are
you concerned by the necessary tradeoff between reducing dB and
performance?

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
Of course getting somewhere in them might be a challenge.

What makes you say that, the extent to which security measures will
have escalated by the time these aircraft are in production? Or are
you concerned by the necessary tradeoff between reducing dB and
performance?

I understood his post to mean that the airliners would be quiet because they
would not be in operation.

You can certainly see how an airliner not actually operating might have
limited use for transportation.

Pete

On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 16:12:32 -0700, "Peter Duniho"
wrote in
::



I understood his post to mean that the airliners would be quiet because they
would not be in operation.

You can certainly see how an airliner not actually operating might have
limited use for transportation.


As long as there is a demand for air travel, there will be someone to
supply it. I guess I'm missing some implied point.

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 16:12:32 -0700, "Peter Duniho"
wrote in
::



I understood his post to mean that the airliners would be quiet because
they
would not be in operation.

You can certainly see how an airliner not actually operating might have
limited use for transportation.


As long as there is a demand for air travel, there will be someone to
supply it. I guess I'm missing some implied point.

You need to read the news a little more often Larry.

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
As long as there is a demand for air travel, there will be someone to
supply it. I guess I'm missing some implied point.

All he said was "large number" and "some". He didn't say ALL airliners
would be "quiet".

On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 03:58:03 GMT, "Dave Stadt"
wrote in ::

As long as there is a demand for air travel, there will be someone to
supply it. I guess I'm missing some implied point.

You need to read the news a little more often Larry.

I was hoping you might enlighten me.

Again here are a couple of questions for you:



On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 21:58:24 GMT, "Dave Stadt"
wrote in ::

The way the airlines are running their businesses now days I suspect we will
be seeing quite a large number of "quiet airliners" in much less that 20
years.

How are airlines running their businesses now days?

The trend toward quieter aircraft is welcome by all. Helos are
substantially quieter than they were in the '70s, and today's airliner
compared with 4-engined B-707s of that era are too.

Of course getting somewhere in them might be a challenge.

What makes you say that, the extent to which security measures will
have escalated by the time these aircraft are in production? Or are
you concerned by the necessary tradeoff between reducing dB and
performance?

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 03:58:03 GMT, "Dave Stadt"
wrote in ::

As long as there is a demand for air travel, there will be someone to
supply it. I guess I'm missing some implied point.

You need to read the news a little more often Larry.

I was hoping you might enlighten me.

Again here are a couple of questions for you:



On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 21:58:24 GMT, "Dave Stadt"
wrote in ::

The way the airlines are running their businesses now days I suspect we
will
be seeing quite a large number of "quiet airliners" in much less that 20
years.

How are airlines running their businesses now days?

Based on the number that are out of busines or currently in severe financial
trouble (word is Delta will soon be filing for chapter 11 protection) I
would have to say the majority have not developed a very good business
model.

The trend toward quieter aircraft is welcome by all. Helos are
substantially quieter than they were in the '70s, and today's airliner
compared with 4-engined B-707s of that era are too.

Of course getting somewhere in them might be a challenge.

What makes you say that, the extent to which security measures will
have escalated by the time these aircraft are in production? Or are
you concerned by the necessary tradeoff between reducing dB and
performance?

My concern is many airliners will be sitting out in the desert somewhere
which I guess is one way of reducing noise.