- The aerodynamics of this new wing system
- How this jet will use fuel and electricity to fly the aircraft
The SUGAR Volt is a hybrid aircraft proposed by Boeing’s research team by request from NASA that Boeing makes a futuristic aircraft. SUGAR Volt would use two hybrid turbofans that burn jet fuel while taking off, then use electric motors while flying to power the engines. The term SUGAR in the aircrafts name stands for Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research and the Volt is in reference to how the aircraft would be partly electric powered.
SUGAR Volt would have emissions about 70% lower than average aircrafts today. There will also be much less noise, yet the hybrid electric approach remains to be balanced against increased complexity, large electric engine and battery size. This aircraft is designed with a long, bread, high aspect ratio wing that decreases drag due to lift. The wings allow this aircraft to take off in a shorter distance with less noise. After extensive testing at the NASA Ames Research Center, the aircraft can meet speeds of Mach 0.70-0.75 which is around the speed current jets can reach, but this aircraft will burn 8%-10% less fuel. From end-to-end, the folding wings measure 170 feet. The high wingspan is made possible by the presence of a truss, which supports the extended length of the ultra-thin wing.
