Box-Wing Configurations: A Future Scenario?

Abstract

The aviation industry has witnessed great development in the last 40 to 50 years including but not limited to deeper understandings of aerodynamics, materials, different types of drag affecting aircrafts and efficiency progress regarding internal combustion and jet engines. Ongoing research is taking place in search for the next future airliner configuration with the aim of bringing further improvements in fuel efficiency, reductions in noise and noxious emissions from the engine(s). One of these “future airliner configurations” is the so-called box-wing or joined-wing, where researchers are claiming potentials of reduced structural weight and direct operating costs by lowering or eliminating the induced drag. This improves overall fuel efficiency and therefore makes the configuration interesting to investigate further.