THE REQUIRED TECHNOLOGY COMBINATIONS FOR HIGH-SPEED COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT

The design of high-speed commercial transport aircraft presents complex technological problems that will require innovative solutions. In the past 15 years significant progress has been made in areas such as application of new materials to high-temperature engine components, computational fluid mechanics codes, and airframe structure and materials. However, much remains to be accomplished. Technology maturation and validation must proceed with specific focus on propulsion technology, thermal management processes, and tailored fuels. New aerodynamic concepts have emerged -- slender supersonic configurations, hypersonic waveriders, and thicker configurations riding on shock waves. Particularly significant advances have been made in highly integrated airframe and propulsion system designs that include a thermal management system for aircraft cruising at Mach 6 and above. Further advances are needed in structures technology, metallurgy, and computational fluid dynamics.

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trcircular/333/333-003.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00978515
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Circular No. 333, Outlook for Commercial Supersonic and Hypersonic Transport Aircraft. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • SCHAUFELE, R D
• Publication Date: 1988-7

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: p. 24-34
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Circular
  • Issue Number: 333
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0097-8515

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aerodynamics; Engine components; Fluid mechanics; Fuels; High temperature; Hypersonic aircraft; Mach number; Materials; Metallurgy; Propulsion; Structural design; Supersonic transport planes; Technological innovations; Thermal efficiency; Vehicle power plants
• Uncontrolled Terms: Propulsion systems
• Old TRIS Terms: Aerodynamic configurations
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Energy; Highways; Materials; Planning and Forecasting; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00470897
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Aug 31 1988 12:00AM