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Advanced air transport conceptsThe concepts of laminar flow control, very large all-wing aircraft, an aerial relay transportation system and alternative fuels, which would enable large improvements in fuel conservation in air transportation in the 1990's are discussed. Laminar boundary layer control through suction would greatly reduce skin friction and has been reported to reduce fuel consumption by up to 29%. Distributed load aircraft, in which all fuel and payload are carried in the wing and the fuselage is absent, permit the use of lighter construction materials and the elimination of fuselage and tail drag. Spanloader aircraft with laminar flow control could be used in an aerial relay transportation system which would employ a network of continuously flying liners supplied with fuel, cargo and crews by smaller feeder aircraft. Liquid hydrogen and methane fuels derived from coal are shown to be more weight efficient and less costly than coal-derived synthetic jet fuels.
Document ID
19790047108
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Molloy, J. K.
(NASA Langley Research Center Aeronautical System Div., Hampton, Va., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 1979
Publication Information
Publication: AIAA Student Journal
Volume: 17
Subject Category
Aircraft Design, Testing And Performance
Accession Number
79A31121
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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