Airbus : Extensive Testing A30X Configurations

[keesje]

A nice summary on aviationweek.com on the ongoing studies for A320/737 successors.

Airbus Refines A30X Design | AVIATION WEEK (http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=awst&id=news/aw020909p3.xml&headline=Airbus%20Refines%20A30X%20Design)

Engine choices and related aircraft configuration / EIS timelines seems still to be the open questions. Or EIS as driver for possible engine technology. A chicken or egg debate.

I think the airframers won't let even an economic downturn distract them from getting a good starting position in this x000 aircraft replacement segment.

To be or not to be committing to an open rotor engine seems to be the question.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z160/keesje_pics/alternativeprop.jpg?t=1234178492

To be or not to be, that is the question;
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles

Source: William Shakespeare's Hamlet

[TheCosmicFrog]

The aviation enthusiast side of me REALLY likes those LeapX open-rotors, as does the nerdy side!

[keesje]

TheCosmicFrog The aviation enthusiast side of me REALLY likes those LeapX open-rotors, as does the nerdy side!
Yes its :cool:. It think LeapX is something CFM is working on, a bit more conventional. However Safran, GE as well as RR are looking at open rotors. RR more on puller like open rotors.

For othet techies / nerds: you can recognize an old / fake open rotor picture by counting the blades. Not having the front and aft rotors have the same number was a lesson learned in the late eighties; resonance & a lot of irritating noise.

On the newest open rotor studies I've seen the front and aft rotor blades even do not have the same lenght / shapes..

http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getAsset.aspx?ItemID=25035