Aviation / Aerospace

Boeing Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW)

Commercial Airliner Concept [ 2023 ]

The future of commercial flight might look something like the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing concept proposed by Boeing.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 01/17/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image from Boeing Creative Services; released to the Public.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

Advertisements

Since 2010, The Boeing Company, together with the aeronautical experts at NASA, have been developing an efficient form of high-set wing which has evolved to become the centerpiece of Boeing's "Transonic Truss-Braced Wing" (TTBW) concept. The wing is intended as a high-efficiency alternative to modern monoplane designs, potentially able to fly higher and faster than such types if proven. The TTBW has seen consistent and progressive refinement since it was first showcased and may very well mark the future of civilian airspace powered flight.

The latest Boeing artist's impression of the aircraft in 2019 sees a fuselage component and tail unit not unlike that of the existing Model 737 or MD-80 airliner. The most noticeable difference becomes the forward-set, shoulder-mounted, high-aspect-ratio wing mainplanes of reduced drag which are seated high along the fuselage sides and further braced by a truss supporting plane emanating from the low sides of the fuselage. Nacelled engines are underslung at each wing mainplane - and these may end up as hybrid-electric engines to maximum fuel efficiency over range. The flight deck and tricycle undercarriage (retractable) are all in their usual place in the Boeing jet airliner design.

Currently (2019) the mainplanes have a span of 170 feet and are of an ultra-thin chord to promote exceptional aerodynamic efficiency - as such the thin wings require the presence of the supporting truss members which enable such a slim wing to be used. The truss sections have thicker chord near the fuselage and taper towards the ends meeting the underside of the mainplanes. Due to their extended span over that of conventional airliner wings, the TTBW's mainplanes are set to have a wing-folding feature to better operate at modern airport terminals. The wings have already been tested in a NASA wind tunnel.

The original TTBW design promoted speeds in the range of Mach 0.70 to 0.75 - the new wings make speeds of 0.80 possible according to estimates.

Into 2019, testing on the subscale model is ongoing and will continue, ultimately paving the way for a full-scale "x-plane" offering still to come.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

2023

Origin

United States

Status

IN-DEVELOPMENT
Program in Progress.

Crew

2

Production

0
UNITS

Boeing Company - USA

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Commercial Aviation
Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, ferrying both passengers and goods over range.

✓ X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator)
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.

Length

93.5 ft
(28.50 m)

Width/Span

169.9 ft
(51.80 m)

Height

37.1 ft
(11.30 m)

Empty Wgt

61,729 lb
(28,000 kg)

MTOW

110,231 lb
(50,000 kg)

Wgt Diff

+48,502 lb
(+22,000 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Boeing Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) production variant)

Installed: 2 x Non-afterburning turbofan engines.

Max Speed

615 mph
(990 kph | 535 kts)

Ceiling

32,808 ft
(10,000 m | 6 mi)

Range

2,485 mi
(4,000 km | 7,408 nm)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Boeing Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

None.

Supported Types

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) - Base Project Name.

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.

Images Gallery

1 / 1

Image from Boeing Creative Services; released to the Public.

Advertisements

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2023 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing all American military medals and ribbons.

www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-