Bombardier tests 18-foot prototype of blended wing body aircraft

Bombardier Inc. has begun the second phase of testing for its EcoJet research project, flying an 18-foot-wide demonstrator aircraft. This phase focuses on the aerodynamic and technological advancements of a blended wing body (BWB) design.

The EcoJet project aims to reduce aircraft emissions by up to 50 percent through enhancements in aerodynamics, propulsion, and other technologies. Bombardier has been researching the BWB configuration and related technologies for 15 years. The current testing utilizes a demonstrator twice the size of the initial prototype flown in 2017, gathering data critical for future sustainable business jets.

"Our engineers are eager to start working with the results yielded by this second phase of the flight test program," stated Stephen McCullough, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Product Development. He added that the larger model allows for more refined analysis and contributes to developing new control laws for the BWB geometry.

The flight campaigns are conducted over multiple years in real-world, representative environments. The data collected will inform the development of new aviation control laws adapted to the BWB configuration, paving the way for more sustainable future aircraft designs.