UP F RONT
1. THE CONCEPT BUSINESS CLASS
SEATS INTRODUCE SOME NEW IDEAS
FOR PASSENGER PRIVACY
2. THE BWB ARCHITECTURE CREATES
AN INCREDIBLE FEELING OF SPACE
WITHIN THE CABIN
Reality check
Flight tests of the
demonstrator will
end in Q2 2020.
Jean-Brice Dumont,
EVP of engineering
says, “Although
there is no timeline
for entryinto
service,
MAVERIC could
be instrumental in
bringing change in
commercial aircraft
architectures.”
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
024 MARCH 2020
2
MAVERICK SPIRIT
A team of Airbus innovators have developed a prototype blended
wing body aircraft that could replace narrow-bodies in the future,
bringing efficiency and passenger experience benefits
Ten people from Airbus’s Flight Lab
team have developed a prototype
blended wing body (BWB) design that
they believe could replace single-aisle
aircraft. The team is part of Airbus
UpNext in Toulouse, a division which
identifies trends that could disrupt the
future of aerospace and evaluates them
to demonstrate their viability. The BWB
demonstrator, named MAVERIC
(Model Aircraft for Validation and
Experimentation of Robust Innovative
Controls), may be only 2m long and 3m
wide with a 2.25m² surface area, but it
shows big potential.
The BWB is a complete departure
from traditional aircraft architecture, but
following wind tunnel testing, the smooth
shape is projected to enable fuel savings
of up to 20% compared to current singleaisle
models with the same engine.
1
Visit our
website to see
a video flythrough
of the MAVERIC
inflight experience
If commercialised, the flying wing design also has
potential to improve the passenger experience thanks
to its exceptionally spacious cabin layout that opens
opportunities for greater legroom and larger aisles.
According to Adrien Bérard, co-leader of the project,
the design was initially dismissed by Airbus
management as being “merely a hobby” that would
not yield valuable learnings. However, the team was
determined to prove them wrong and progressed the
concept from a simple sketch, to a 3D CAD model, to
a remote-controlled aircraft demonstrator in less than
three years. Initial trials are focusing on assessing lowspeed
and stall dynamics, with analysis of aspects such
as handling qualities, flight control, multi-objective
control surfaces and modularity to follow.
The project has also excited Airbus’s Airspace
interiors team, who have relished applying their cabin
design principles to the open spaces of MAVERIC. The
soaring ceilings are supported by dendriform columns
that are bold in form but delicate in execution, with
suspended ceiling features that break up the space and
house the PSU and ventilation infrastructure. Interactive
wraparound displays on the seatbacks and sidewalls
enhance the aesthetic as well as the passenger
experience – not a far-fetched idea, following LG’s
reveal of flexible aircraft cabin displays at CES 2020
in Las Vegas.
“We understand society expects more from us in
terms of improving the environmental performance of
aircraft,” states Bérard. “MAVERIC’s BWB configuration
is a potential game-changer, and we’re keen to push the
technology to the limit.”
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Visit aircraftinteriorsinternational.com to view a wide range of cabin concept videos
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