DailyDirt: Cool New Planes

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Tue, Apr 3rd 2012 5:00pm — Michael Ho

Futuristic-looking jet planes used to inspire all kinds of technology geeks, back when commercial flying was a relatively new venture. Over the years, though, the airline industry has matured quite a bit, and commercial plane designs don't really look that unique anymore. But that doesn't mean engineers aren't coming up with novel plane designs. Here are a few cool new planes that could take to the skies in the not too distant future.

Supersonic planes have a problem of creating a "sonic boom" when they travel faster than the speed of sound, causing all kinds of headaches for commercial and military operations. A new biplane design with twin wings would have a much reduced sonic boom, as each wing could cancel out the effects of the other (at least in theory & simulations). [url]
NASA is interested in liquified natural gas (LNG) propulsion for creating super fuel efficient airplanes. Planes fueled by LNG won't be ready for at least three generations of airplane technologies (aka N+3 airliners), so don't expect to see any before 2030. [url]
The first production aircraft to completely satisfy FAA spin resistance standards will likely improve the safety of non-commercial general aviation. Icon Aircraft's A5 amphibious light sport aircraft is a two-seater plane design that greatly reduces the plane's potential to stall out or go into an uncontrollable spin. [url]
To discover more cool sites about aviation, check out what's currently flying around StumbleUpon. [url]

By the way, StumbleUpon can recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.

Filed Under: aviation, flight, fuel sources, planes

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Anonymous Coward, 3 Apr 2012 @ 6:53pm

biofuels for military jets..
Wasn't the USAF trying out biodiesel in some of their planes?
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Anonymous Anonymous Coward, 3 Apr 2012 @ 8:39pm

Icon Aircraft's A5 amphibious
This aircraft look an awful lot like the Lake Renegade Turbo I fly in my flight simulator. I hope there are no IP rights in question, cause that is one fantastic aircraft, and the no spin wing design would be a real blessing to the light aircraft industry.
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Hephaestus (profile), 4 Apr 2012 @ 6:52am

the super sonic biplane design has been around for a while.
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davebarnes (profile), 4 Apr 2012 @ 7:26am

I love sonic booms
They are the "sound of freedom" according the huge National Guard billboard that was near my house in the early 1960s.
Convair F-102 Delta Daggers would fly fairly low over my house.
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I-Blz, 4 Apr 2012 @ 8:47am

Re: I love sonic booms
Never heard one, it pains me to say. :/ bloody regulations.
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sprearson81 (profile), 10 Jun 2012 @ 9:10am

Always with the regulations . . .
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