The AW609
Manufacturer: Leonardo S.p.A: Leonardo S.p.A. (formerly AgustaWestland) Special feature: tilt-rotor technology Estimated production cost: unknown This aircraft has been designed to combine the speed of a turboprop with the takeoff and landing characteristics of a helicopter. Leonardo S.p.A.’s AW609 tilt-rotor has been designed for civil applications. Prototype testing began in 2002, and it will be a long time before the aircraft is certified. In fact, the first demonstration flights with the first customers began in 2014, reaching speeds of 540 km/h and heights of 9000 m.
The AW609
Boeing’s Blended Wing Body Airlifter
Manufacturer: Boeing Boeing Special feature: Blended Wing Estimated production cost: Unknown When designing an airplane, developers are often inspired by nature. For many years, airplanes were designed to mimic birds in the sky. But for the Blended Wing Body Airlifter, Boeing’s developers took their inspiration from birds in the depths of the sea. The Blended Wing Body (BWB) airplane is still in its conceptual phase, and could have come out of a science-fiction movie. The aerodynamics are certainly new and advantageous, providing additional lift
Boeing Blended Wing Body Airlifter
