A little-known NASA project is funding the study of a next-generation commercial airliner concept that combines turbofan engines, electric tail fans, and a unique “double bubble” fuselage designed to add lift.
Hybrid-electric regional aircraft developer Electra on Monday unveiled the concept, which per the company’s analysis could deliver a 17 percent improvement on current projections for efficiency gains through 2050. The concept was borne out of NASA’s Advanced Aircraft Concepts for Environmental Sustainability (AACES) 2050 project, which is funding studies into new aircraft technologies—including advanced propulsion, fuels, and airframes—which could reshape commercial aviation in the 2040s, 2050s, and beyond.
